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This is our simple website - running on a beaglebone black, it hosts our favourite recipes and cakes, and things that interest us. There's an area for the kids for when they start to learn computing at school, and a personal blog for us all

Breads

    Pretzels

  1. picture of Pretzels Breads

    2. 
400g fermented white dough
500g strong white bread flour
fresh yeast 10g or 1 tsp easy blend dried yeast
15g caster sugar 159
10g salt
50g unsalted butter
100g milk
100g water
1 egg mixed with a pinch of salt (and, ifyou like, a few drops of coffee essence for colour)
vegetable oil
rock salt for sprinkling
FERMENTED WHITE DOUGH
fresh yeast 10g or 1 tsp easy blend dried yeast
500g strong white flour
10g salt
350g water

    Make the fermented white dough following the dough-making method for the olive loaf and shape into a ball. Put the dough in a (lightly floured) mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest at room temperature for 6 hours, or overnight in the fridge (or for upto 48 hours) until it has doubled in volume. This makes 900g, you'll need 400g for the recipe but you can use the leftovers for a pizza base.

    To make the pretzels ,mix all the remaining ingredients except the egg, oil and salt with the fermented white dough. The resulting dough will feel very stiff. Covercthe bowl with a tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour.

    Lightly oil 1 or 2 large baking trays.Very lightly flour the work surface.Tip the dough on to the surface and make it into a rough oblong, fold one third into the middle, press down, then fold the other side into the middle, turn the dough over so the seam is underneath then divide it into 12 equal pieces.

    Roll each piece with your fingers until it is around 20cm long. Form into a heart by bringing the ends to the centre, crossing the right over the left, bringing it back underneath, then laying the ends either side of the point of the heart (look at the picture !) Stretch the holes out slightly so dough doesn't join up as it rises.

    Lay the pretzels on a greased baking tray and glaze with egg wash. Leave to prove, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes. Heat the oven to 230C (or as high as it will go). Glaze again with egg wash and sprinkle with rock salt, pressing it down into the dough a little. Put the pretzels into the oven and turn down the heat to 210C. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until dark golden brown, at which point they will be chewy. If you prefer them a little crisper, give them another couple of minutes. Cool on a wire rack.