Pretzels

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 500 g flour
• 200 ml water (approx. 30°C)
• 150 ml milk (approx. 30°C)
• 1 cube of yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 20 g butter, soft
• 1 liter of cold water, 30 g of lye granules
• Salt, coarse for sprinkling

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

Pretzels with real lye

Combine flour, water, milk, yeast, sugar, butter, and salt in a mixing bowl and knead vigorously. It’s easier with a food processor. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. For the lye, add 30 g of lye granules to 1 liter of water. Be extremely careful! The water will heat up due to the chemical process. The lye must not come into contact with metal. Once the granules have dissolved, the lye is ready. Form the dough into pretzels and then, wearing rubber gloves, dip them into the lye for 3 seconds. Place them on a baking sheet lined with nonstick baking paper and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake the pretzels in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 15–18 minutes. Always handle the lye very carefully throughout the entire preparation process. It is caustic. Do not allow children to watch. Wear safety goggles if possible. If you’re afraid of the lye, you should make the pretzels with baking soda instead. The lye can be reused several times. Keep out of reach of children. Lye granules are available at pharmacies.