Today is the last day of "The Bread Basket Challenge", and we are ending it with my favorite snack: pretzels! These are no ordinary ones either. They are pretzels knots, a spin-off of the popular garlic knots.
I had taken this challenge because bread was something I had wanted to improve on since I hadn't practiced it enough. I also wanted to learn more about different kinds of bread around the world.
I've felt that over these 35 weeks of bread baking, I've learned so much and have felt so grateful for all of you who have supported me in the process. I couldn't have done it without you.
The reason why I'm changing the challenge (more on that later) is because it's a lot of time. I've been pretty busy this year, and bread takes a long time. Next year, high school would have made that time commitment harder for me.
Starting next week, I will embark on a new challenge. It will be dedicated to recipes that are less than 30 minutes. I know that so many of you have busy schedules but still want to make delicious meals. The challenge will focus on a wide range of dishes for each meal. This way, you still manage to eat yummy food but have time to commit to other activities. I hope you guys enjoy it and will continue to try the recipes to come!
Now for the pretzels knots. They are some of my favorite recipes to make for a snack, and they last for a few days with the large batch that you can bake. I love to eat mine with some cheese dip, which also works as a good base for mac and cheese.
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1 1/3 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, softened
Baking soda + water:
9 cups water
3/4 cup baking soda
Topping:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt, to taste
STEPS:
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for a few minutes until it foams up. Then add the flour, salt, and butter. Knead for 10 minutes. Cover, and let the dough rise for two hours.
Now, divide the dough into nine sections. Roll out each section into a rope and then, tie the two ends together. This will form the shape of your bread. Cover again and proof for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and bring the water and baking soda to a boil. Add your pretzel knot and let it cook on one side for 30 seconds. Flip over and cook for another 30 seconds. Then, place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzel knots.
Brush the knots with butter and sprinkle salt. Bake them for 16-20 minutes, and serve with dipping sauces.
Enjoy!
The Bored Baker 👩🏽🍳