Comments on: Best Soft Pretzel Recipe Ever http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/appetizers/soft-pretzels/ You Have To Eat, So Learn To Cook & Eat Well Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:03:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Jilly Bean http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/appetizers/soft-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-296046 Jilly Bean Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:18:09 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1967#comment-296046 Also yet another neat tip, found through experimenting. Did not have malt syrup in the house, so took a little water out of the dough mixture and used dark corn syrup and about 2 T. of lager beer or Guiness (adjust to your taste). Gives it that flavor, and everyone kinda says, hmmm, what is that, without being able to guess. Turned out really well! Also yet another neat tip, found through experimenting. Did not have malt syrup in the house, so took a little water out of the dough mixture and used dark corn syrup and about 2 T. of lager beer or Guiness (adjust to your taste). Gives it that flavor, and everyone kinda says, hmmm, what is that, without being able to guess. Turned out really well!

]]> By: Phyllis Cass http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/appetizers/soft-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-233245 Phyllis Cass Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:32:09 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1967#comment-233245 My "pretzel event" has come and gone and your pretzels were a great hit! I baked them partially the day before and finshed them off in the church oven that morning. Everyone came back for more and I had many requests for the recipe. I, of course, gave you the credit and advised them to go watch the video before trying to shape the pretzels! Thanks again for the great recipe and hand-holding. I plan to make some more and keep them in my freezer partially baked for quick treats when the mood strikes. My “pretzel event” has come and gone and your pretzels were a great hit! I baked them partially the day before and finshed them off in the church oven that morning. Everyone came back for more and I had many requests for the recipe. I, of course, gave you the credit and advised them to go watch the video before trying to shape the pretzels! Thanks again for the great recipe and hand-holding. I plan to make some more and keep them in my freezer partially baked for quick treats when the mood strikes.

]]> By: Jenni http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/appetizers/soft-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-229907 Jenni Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:51:35 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1967#comment-229907 Allison, I can't really say if the sponginess came from using a different recipe, but I doubt it was from the poaching. That's a pretty straightforward process. You may have overproofed the dough somewhat, but I'd bet that, as you suspect, it might have something to do with your not punching down the dough after the rise. To be technical, the idea isn't so much to punch the dough as it is to press out the gases and redistribute the yeast that are left so that they can continue to happily eat the sugars in the dough and emit carbon dioxide and alcohol. If you didn't do this step, it's not the end of the world--I'm sure your pretzels tasted just fine. But it is an extra step that helps to refine the texture and give you a more consistent product. If you had lots of larger air bubbles in your dough, once poached and baked, the resulting pretzels absolutely could feel kind of springy in your mouth. Try them again and make sure to press out the gases (punch) before shaping, and I'm sure you'll have 100% successful pretzels:) Allison, I can’t really say if the sponginess came from using a different recipe, but I doubt it was from the poaching. That’s a pretty straightforward process. You may have overproofed the dough somewhat, but I’d bet that, as you suspect, it might have something to do with your not punching down the dough after the rise. To be technical, the idea isn’t so much to punch the dough as it is to press out the gases and redistribute the yeast that are left so that they can continue to happily eat the sugars in the dough and emit carbon dioxide and alcohol. If you didn’t do this step, it’s not the end of the world–I’m sure your pretzels tasted just fine. But it is an extra step that helps to refine the texture and give you a more consistent product. If you had lots of larger air bubbles in your dough, once poached and baked, the resulting pretzels absolutely could feel kind of springy in your mouth. Try them again and make sure to press out the gases (punch) before shaping, and I’m sure you’ll have 100% successful pretzels:)

]]> By: ben http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/appetizers/soft-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-229088 ben Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:16:55 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1967#comment-229088 if you do use lye, always special order "food grade", use gloves and goggles and don't spill (i wrecked a perfectly good picnic table this way!). Also, if you go this route absolutely use parchment paper...sodium hydroxide and metal (especially aluminum) react. but, the pretzels are much better, way better, tremendously better, than you get with baking soda... thanks for the recipe! <em>Hi Ben, appreciate the tips but I would leave the lye to the professionals. Much too dangerous for my tastes. - RG</em> if you do use lye, always special order “food grade”, use gloves and goggles and don’t spill (i wrecked a perfectly good picnic table this way!). Also, if you go this route absolutely use parchment paper…sodium hydroxide and metal (especially aluminum) react.

but, the pretzels are much better, way better, tremendously better, than you get with baking soda… thanks for the recipe!

Hi Ben, appreciate the tips but I would leave the lye to the professionals. Much too dangerous for my tastes. - RG

]]> By: Allison http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/appetizers/soft-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-229003 Allison Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:06:11 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1967#comment-229003 Hi, I used part of your recipe yesterday to make pretzels. The dough I made from a recipe off of allrecipes.com and then I froze them and did your baking soda poaching and the rest of your recipe. My question is they came out a little spongy. Do you think it's because of the different dough recipe or something I did with the poaching? I don't have much experience in baking with yeast so maybe I overkneaded or underkneaded or did something with the rising. I do know that I didn't punch down the dough after it rose because I forgot that step. Any advice for a novice baker? Hi, I used part of your recipe yesterday to make pretzels. The dough I made from a recipe off of allrecipes.com and then I froze them and did your baking soda poaching and the rest of your recipe. My question is they came out a little spongy. Do you think it’s because of the different dough recipe or something I did with the poaching? I don’t have much experience in baking with yeast so maybe I overkneaded or underkneaded or did something with the rising. I do know that I didn’t punch down the dough after it rose because I forgot that step. Any advice for a novice baker?

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