Pretzels
These simple, classic Pretzels are dipped in 3% lye (sodium hydroxide) for that authentic pretzel flavour. Easy to make and delicious.
Servings 8 pretzels
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 tsp dry yeast
- 250 mL warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 750 mL all purpose flour (490 g)
- coarse salt for sprinkling
Lye bath, 3%
- 15 g lye / sodium hydroxide. FOOD GRADE Warning, see note
- 500 mL water
Instructions
Dough
- Dissolve yeast in water.
- Add salt, sugar, and oil.
- Work the flour into the liquid. The dough will be very dry and firm but it works.
- Let rise for 1 h.
Pretzels
- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Roll them out into long strands with a thick center, all pieces at once.
- When you have rolled out the last one, start with the first piece and roll it out again. This has ggive the dough some time to relax and makes it easier to form. (You may see that the rolled out strands shorten during relaxation.)
- To make the pretzels, twist the dough ends about each other and fold them back onto the thick part. I like to add a little water between the dough pieces here to help them seal.
- Move the pretzels to a tray lined with a baking sheet. Let rest in the fridge for 30 min to dry them out a little. This makes them easier to handle.
Dipping and baking
- When the dough is resting, prepare the lye solution. Pour the water in a glass bowl and carefully add the pellets. Stir and wait for them to dissolve. Wear gloves and be mindful of the fumes. See warning below.
- Once the pretzels have rested, dip them into the lye and fish them out again. I use a silicone slotted spoon but anything will do. Wear gloves.
- Move the dipped pretzels onto a baking tray with a baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for 10-15 min at 205°C.
- Enjoy with beer and mustard.
Notes
WARNING: Absolutely do try this at home but be careful. Lye is corrosive and can hurt you. Wear gloves and be careful. Use a glass bowl. Wear gloves. When dissolving lye pellets in water, a lot of energy will be released and the water will get hot. Always drop the pellets in the water and not the other way around, as the heat released can cause small amounts of water to boil rapidly. Work in a well-ventilated area, the fumes rising from the water are harmful (there is no gas released as such but some vapor will rise and can contain NaOH). I mix the lye pellets into the water in a glass bowl and leave the kitchen for a bit. If you get some lye on your fingers, just rinse with water. It feels soapy. Don’t let this warning dissuade you, it is not that dangerous if you're a little careful. And the result is super tasty.