Pretzel Bread

Lucky Twist

A traditional European New Year's Day pretzel is sure to bring luck to 2008.

People often ask me about kitchen tools and utensils, and they always want to know what my favorite food is to cook. That answer is easy: Bread. There is something magical about the chemical reaction of gluten and sugar and yeast that turns inert ingredients into a living, growing and delectable treat. Besides the mystery of transforming a few cups of flour into an expanding mass of dough, baking bread has all the satisfactory components that bring cooks to the kitchen.

Bread doughs are easy and very forgiving. The smell of baking bread permeates the house with an aroma of comfort. The final product is beautiful to behold and delicious to eat.

Keep a supply of bread flour (the higher gluten content makes for chewier, more flavorful loaves), some yeast (buy it economically by the pound) and some powdered milk (for those days when you are snowed in), and you can be baking golden loaves and rolls all winter long.

Because it has such a history as a staple of life, bread has inspired endless traditions in many cultures that tie it to holidays and seasons. For the new year, it is a European tradition to make large, soft, pretzel-shaped breads that are often garnished with candied fruit and nuts. The pretzel is the universal sign of the baker, and it is also supposed to bring luck for the whole year. Not as sweet as cake and not as plain as bread, this colorful pretzel makes a beautiful centerpiece for any New Year's table, and everyone who eats it will feel lucky. Now, where did I put that electric bread slicer?

New Year's Pretzel Bread
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups milk, scalded and skimmed 1/2 cup sugar 4 ounces (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup warm water 1 tablespoon yeast 6 to 7 cups bread flour 1 tablespoon salt 2 eggs 1 pound confectioner's sugar Almond extract Water Toasted, sliced almonds Candied cherries	Instructions: Put the scalded milk, sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and let stir until the butter and sugar are dissolved. In another small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a few grains of sugar. It should begin to foam in about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, the yeast mixture and the 2 eggs to the milk mixture. Use a dough hook to mix until it is a soft, even batter. Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Continue to knead until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Take the dough out on a lightly floured board and give it a few turns to form a smooth ball. Put it into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto the board and divide in half. Roll each half into a long rope and shape into a pretzel. Lay the pretzel onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and allow to rise for another hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until dark golden-brown. (Thermometer will read 190 to 200 degrees.) Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Make a frosting by mixing the confectioner's sugar with a teaspoon of almond extract (or vanilla if you prefer) and enough water to make a spreadable icing. Pour the icing over the bread and decorate with the toasted almond slices and candied cherries.
Mini Soft Pretzels
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon dry yeast 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water 1 tablespoon sugar 3 cups flour 1 tablespoon salt 4 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled) Kosher salt or sea salt (for topping)	Instructions: Mix the yeast with the warm water, sugar and butter and set aside to proof (puff up). In a food processor or large bowl, mix the flour and salt with the yeast mixture until a stiff dough forms and cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead for about 30 seconds in the processor or about 5 minutes by hand, adding small amounts of flour if necessary. Put into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). In a high-sided frying pan or Dutch oven, boil 4 cups of water to which you have added the 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Form the dough into pretzel shapes, large or small, and drop a few at a time into the boiling water. Cover and let boil for about 1 minute. Take them out with a spatula and allow to drain on a rack for about a minute. Sprinkle on the sea salt (or other toppings such as garlic salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc.) and place onto a buttered cookie sheet. Bake in a 450-degree oven until golden-brown. More Recipes Printer Friendly Page