Here is the first recipe to go into what I hope to be a good database of recipes that we all can enjoy. This one here is for soft dough pretzels, hope you like them.
All RED text are side notes to help you.
Whats Needed:
1 1/2 C. Warm water
1pkg. dry yeast
1/2 tsp. Sugar
4 1/2C. Flour - You can use bread flour or AP flour. (AP = All Purpose)
1 Egg yolk
1 - 2 Tsp milk or water
Coarse Salt
For Boiling:
10 cups of water
2/3 cups of baking soda
(Note: You can cut this in half, 5c of water and 1/3c baking soda)
Mix the warm water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and let stand for 1 hour.
Then mix in 3 1/2 cups - 4 cups of four with a large spoon and keep adding in flour till the dough becomes almost a play-dough texture. Place some flour onto a hard surface and kneed the mixture mixing in remaining flour until the dough is no longer sickey. You may not need to use all the four.
( HINT ) Keep flour on your hands so dough don't stick to your hands.
Continue kneading till you kneaded for about 10 min. If you have a microwave, then follow the top instructions, if you want to use the over, follow the second set of instructions.
Microwave: Grab a small glass. coffee mug. or a microwaveable cup and fill about 3/4 of the way up with warm water, place in microwave for 45 seconds to 1 min, till is boiling and putting off some steam. Cover dough in a GREASED bowl with a piece of wax paper 3/4 the size of the top of the bowl and place it on top of the bowl only covering 3/4 of it in the middle then put a clean hot damp cloth on top of that  and place in the microwave for about 3 hours. Once dough has doubled in size, pull out and preheat the oven to 475 F. Then follow the twist instructions after the oven instructions.
Oven: Preheat the oven for about 3 - 5 min till it gets warm, not hot enough to bake the dough. Cover dough in a GREASED bowl with a clean hot damp cloth and place in the oven for about 3 hours. Once dough has doubled in size, pull out and pre-heat the oven to 475 F. Then follow the twist instructions.
Boiling: Bring the 10 cups of water and the 2/3 cups of baking soda to a boil, (do the same thing if you halved that as stated above.). Its best to use a deep walled skillet and you will need a utensil to be able to pull out the pretzel. If you have a spider strainer, they work well, if not, a large/wide spatula will work as well.
Twisting instructions:
Dilute 1 egg yolk with water or milk. Use a small brush to brush on the egg wash lightly, (don't want scrambled eggs), then sprinkle on course salt to your liking. Bake for 8 - 15 min. Different elevations and darker or lighter pans will change cooking times. Once the top starts turning a brown, check the bottom, if it's a golden brown, they are done.
Enjoy. You may like them with a little mustard. Best eaten fresh.
All RED text are side notes to help you.
Whats Needed:
1 1/2 C. Warm water
1pkg. dry yeast
1/2 tsp. Sugar
4 1/2C. Flour - You can use bread flour or AP flour. (AP = All Purpose)
1 Egg yolk
1 - 2 Tsp milk or water
Coarse Salt
For Boiling:
10 cups of water
2/3 cups of baking soda
(Note: You can cut this in half, 5c of water and 1/3c baking soda)
Mix the warm water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and let stand for 1 hour.
Then mix in 3 1/2 cups - 4 cups of four with a large spoon and keep adding in flour till the dough becomes almost a play-dough texture. Place some flour onto a hard surface and kneed the mixture mixing in remaining flour until the dough is no longer sickey. You may not need to use all the four.
( HINT ) Keep flour on your hands so dough don't stick to your hands.
Continue kneading till you kneaded for about 10 min. If you have a microwave, then follow the top instructions, if you want to use the over, follow the second set of instructions.
Microwave: Grab a small glass. coffee mug. or a microwaveable cup and fill about 3/4 of the way up with warm water, place in microwave for 45 seconds to 1 min, till is boiling and putting off some steam. Cover dough in a GREASED bowl with a piece of wax paper 3/4 the size of the top of the bowl and place it on top of the bowl only covering 3/4 of it in the middle then put a clean hot damp cloth on top of that  and place in the microwave for about 3 hours. Once dough has doubled in size, pull out and preheat the oven to 475 F. Then follow the twist instructions after the oven instructions.
Oven: Preheat the oven for about 3 - 5 min till it gets warm, not hot enough to bake the dough. Cover dough in a GREASED bowl with a clean hot damp cloth and place in the oven for about 3 hours. Once dough has doubled in size, pull out and pre-heat the oven to 475 F. Then follow the twist instructions.
Boiling: Bring the 10 cups of water and the 2/3 cups of baking soda to a boil, (do the same thing if you halved that as stated above.). Its best to use a deep walled skillet and you will need a utensil to be able to pull out the pretzel. If you have a spider strainer, they work well, if not, a large/wide spatula will work as well.
Twisting instructions:
- Take a chunk of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it into a rope about 15" long.
- Make a loop by carefully picking up the ends.
- Bring left end of the loop over the right end. Bring the right to left to form twist.
- Once pretzels are formed, take them and one by one, place into the boiling water for exactly 30 seconds.
- Pull out of the boiling water and place on greased cookie sheet, (Using cooking spray is recommended).
Dilute 1 egg yolk with water or milk. Use a small brush to brush on the egg wash lightly, (don't want scrambled eggs), then sprinkle on course salt to your liking. Bake for 8 - 15 min. Different elevations and darker or lighter pans will change cooking times. Once the top starts turning a brown, check the bottom, if it's a golden brown, they are done.
Enjoy. You may like them with a little mustard. Best eaten fresh.
Last edited by coRpSE on Fri Nov 11, 2016 5:42 pm; edited 3 times in total
Updated today with a added step of boiling the pretzel before baking them.