You can make them yourself fairly easily - if you can make beer, bretzels are piss-easy.
I can't get that proper salt though, is it Fleur de Sel? I don't know. I use rock salt, which is not correct.
I've used this recipe a bunch of times, even in huge (100 bretzel) batches for a party.
So - make your dough, form up your bretzels. Leave them sitting on a tray while you get your baking soda (
NOT baking powder) water boiling (or get a production line going).
Once boiling, gently plop the bretzel into the water. The only need to be in a for a minute or so. The alkaline solution gives your bretzel it's dark, deliciously chewy crust.
Pull them out with a slotted egg-lifter, and back onto the tray. They're steaming, let them dry off a bit (but not completely) and sprinkle on a little salt.
Straight into the hot oven then.
One thing I do need help with - my dough ends up too springy, I roll it out into a log, stretching it. But as soon as it's let go, it bloody all shrinks back on itself, like it's gone for an ocean dip in July. Maybe I need to rest for longer.
Give these a go, get your kids/nieces/nephews/neighbours to help.
Bretzels:
- 2-3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon malt / brown sugar
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together until it forms a ball.
I start with 2 cups of the flour and mix it together until it forms something like a thick batter,
then add more flour a handful at a time until it'll form a nice ball that I can knead by hand.
Cut the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each one into a short log, cover with a towel, and let the dough relax for 5 to 10 minutes.
After it has relaxed you should be able to roll it out and stretch again fairly easily.
Soda Boil:
- 24g Baking soda to 1L water
- drop in for about 10 seconds (I usually go around 30-40 seconds, do whatever works for you)
