German Lye Pretzel( Laugen Brezel)

BREZEL belongs to the "street food" in Germany. Our last trip to Germany left me with a longing for those large bavarian Pretzels.

They are special and are "Laugen Brezel" meaning Lye Pretzel.

I always thought lye was a dangerous chemical , so even did not wan't to try making them.

Recently a german lady who happens to own a little bakery shared with me her baking secret and convinced me how easy it is to make these bavarian bezels.....

Step 1: Ingredients

500g bread flour

1.5tsp salt

50g soft butter

3 dl Milk

1 tsp sugar (original recipe calls for malt, i replaced using sugar)

1sachet instant yeast.

For the Lye

1l water

1Tbs salt

100g soda bicarbonate

crystal seasalt to sprinkle onto

Step 2: Making the Dough

Mix all the bread ingredients in a mixing bowl. Knead to a smooth elastic dough. knead well for around 5 minutes.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for around and hour till the dough rises.

After an hour punch the dough that has almost doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 16 equal sized balls.

Step 3: Forming the Pretzel

Take a ball of dough.

Roll it out into a sausage around a finger's length.

With the fingers on both sides of the sausage roll out the ends further to for a long sausage -thicker in the middle and thinner ends.

Curve the dough into a heart shape.

Lifting the ends of the roll twist around the middle.

firmly press the open ends of the dough onto the sides as to blend them in.

Form all the dough balls into Pretzels in the same way.

Place them on a baking tray for a further 20 mins for it to rise again.

Step 4: Dipping in the Lye

Prepare the lye

In a steel vessel add the water the salt and sodabicarb. Cook it till it begins to boil.

Remove fromt he heat.

Carefully place each formed Pretzel on a sieve or a frying spoon and dip it into the hot lye.

Pull Out the Pretzel from the lye and let it drip dry. then place it on a baking tray lined by backing paper.

Do the same with all the Pretzels.

Sprinkle some salt crystals on each of the Pretzel.

Step 5: Baking Them

Preheat the oven to 200C

Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for around 20 mins.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy the Pretzels when still warm...

....Guten Appetite!!