Authentic German Pretzels

This recipe was passed down to me from my Grandma.  I always remember eating these when we visited her and when I got married, she added her recipe to my "family cookbook".  They are a labor of love, but completely worth the end result.

Most of the ingredients are staples.  You will need yeast, sugar, salt, eggs, flour and vegetable oil.  However to finish the pretzels, you will need food grade lye.  Not so basic, but more on that later.

First, put a packet (or 2 1/4 t of yeast) into a cup measure and add 3/4 c. warm water and 1 t of sugar.

  Let the yeast work until the yeast mixture is up to the 1 c mark.

In the meantime, combine 2 c warm water, 1 tsp salt, 1 large or 2 small egss and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl.  When the yeast mixture has activated, add it to the bowl and mix well with a spoon.

Add 1/2 c of vegetable oil and 3 c of flour, one cup at a time.

Continue to work in 3-4 more cups of flour, kneading in the last cup with floured hands.

Cover the bowl and set in a warm place (I prefer the oven which has been slightly warmed and then turned off)

for an hour, or until doubled in size.

Grease hands and push down the dough.

Let rise again until doubled, or about another hour.

Now for the fun!  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Combine 1 quart of cold water and 2 T of food grade lye in a shallow glass baking dish.  Do not use metal when handling or storing the lye as it will corrode it.  You can get the food grade lye online if you can't find it locally. 

Flour your working surface and your hands and grab a ball of dough from the bowl, a little smaller than a tennis ball.

Roll the dough into a 16" strip, 3/8" in diameter.

Cross one side

and then the other to form a pretzel.

Pick up the pretzel by the upper loops and drop it into your diluted lye mixture.  Use a slotted spoon to retrieve the pretzel

and slide it onto a baking sheet covered with a silpat.  Again, make sure to not put the pretzel directly on a metal baking sheet or it will corrode the pan.  If you don't have a silpat, cover the sheet with heavy tin foil and grease well. 

Once you have a sheet full, generously sprinkle kosher salt over the pretzels.

Bake immediately for 8 to 10 minutes, or longer, until the pretzels have a dark brown crust.

Remove to a wire rack to cool, after snagging one for yourself to "test".  These are best fresh.  If you can't eat them all in a timely manner, after they have cooled, freeze the extras in a ziplock bag and reheat in the microwave.

Yum! I have to go and get another!

Authentic German Pretzels

makes:2 dozen pretzels   (Recipe also on Tasty Kitchen)

• 1 packet yeast
• 3/4 c warm water
• 1 t sugar
• 2 c warm water
• 1 t salt
• 1 lg or 2 small eggs
• 1/2 c sugar
• 6-7 c flour
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1 qt cold water
• 2 T food grade lye

Put a packet (or 2 1/4 t of yeast) into a cup measure and add 3/4 c. warm water and 1 t of sugar. Let the yeast work until the yeast mixture is up to the 1 c mark.

Combine 2 c warm water, 1 tsp salt, 1 large or 2 small egss and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and mix well with a spoon. Add 1/2 c of vegetable oil and 3 c of flour, one cup at a time. Continue to work in 3-4 more cups of flour, kneading in the last cup with floured hands.

Cover the bowl and set in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in size. Grease hands and push down the dough. Let rise again until doubled, or about another hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 1 quart of cold water and 2 T of food grade lye in a shallow glass baking dish.

Flour your working surface and your hands and grab a ball of dough from the bowl, a little smaller than a tennis ball. Roll the dough into a 16" strip, 3/8" in diameter. Cross the pretzel and drop it into the diluted lye mixture. Use a slotted spoon to retrieve the pretzel, drip dry and slide it onto a baking sheet covered with a silpat. Generously sprinkle kosher salt over the pretzels.

Bake immediately for 8 to 10 minutes, or longer, until the pretzels have a dark brown crust. Remove to a wire rack to cool.