The bretzel or pretzel are well known throughout the world although it is not always the original recipe.
In general, there are two types of bretzel: some that are actually biscuits and therefore have a hard texture and are sweet (or salty, it changes) and others that are soft-textured breads, with a considerably larger size. In any case all the types share the same shape that has made them famous.
In Germany they are very popular although it is in Bavaria where they are ubiquitous. Although it is possible that I fall in the exaggeration, in this Federal State they accompany any informal meal with a bretzel, from a white sausage to the famous Obatzda.
The origin of the bretzel is the subject of debate but it is likely that it comes from a Roman bread that was made in Bavarian monasteries on special festivals.
Apart from the shape - there are other breads that also have a strange shape - the way to prepare them is curious. Before baking, they are briefly passed through a solution of boiling water with bicarbonate. In fact, in the past they were boiled for a minute in an alkaline solution that was obtained thanks to the action of culinary bleach. This operation allows the bretzel to acquire a deep, regular and intense baking and also favors the flavor. In case of not doing this previous "bleaching" it would be noticed both in the aesthetic result and in the taste. Of course at the domestic level it is not recommended to use alkaline agents, being more than enough to use sodium bicarbonate.
INGREDIENTS :
- 500 grams (3 cups and 2 tbsp) of white wheat flour
- 300 ml of milk (a cup and a half)
- 50 grams (3 tbsp + 2 tsp) of unsalted butter
- 20 grams (3 tbsp) of fresh yeast
- 3 tablespoons of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Coarse salt
First we heat the milk until it is warm - just a few seconds in the microwave -. We add the teaspoon of sugar and the crumbled yeast. We leave in a dark place without drafts, which is not too cold. Let stand 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, pour the flour, the milk with the yeast, the teaspoon of salt and the melted butter. Mix well and knead to obtain a homogeneous dough. We cover the bowl with a cloth, place it in a place without much light and that has a good room temperature. After half an hour the volume should have doubled.
Once the size has been doubled, it is dumped on a large flat surface covered with flour and with the roller it is given a flattened shape to later turn it into a cylinder about two fingers wide.
We cut other smaller ones of about 30 cm (12 inches) long from said cylinder. With the indicated quantities you should get about 15 cylinders.
We work each cylinder a little so that it is thick in the center and thin at the ends. Now we give them the typical shape of bretzels.
Let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature and then 1 hour in the refrigerator.
We boil 1 liter of water (5 cups) with 3 tablespoons of bicarbonate and in this solution we bathe the bretzel one by one for 30 seconds. It is best to use a slotted spoon, that is, collect them with it, introduce them without detaching them in the water and then remove them in the same way. It is recommended that the water does not bubble excessively.
Let it drain, sprinkle with coarse salt and place directly on the oven tray. Attention: they are put IN THE COLD OVEN and the temperature is raised to 220 degrees (428 F). They should be removed when these loaves are well browned. The first ones - because it is not possible that you can enter them all at the same time, although it would be ideal - can take a long time, although after about 20 minutes it should be more than enough. It is a matter of patience and looking continuously, you already know that each oven is different.
And they are ready to eat, warm or cold, to taste.