P is for Pretzels....

....and thats good enough for me!

Now OH keeps telling me that they look like certain other things beginning with P (and I don't mean pony or penguin or any other nice p words you can think of....) but considering they taste delicious and he is devouring them faster then I can cook them I am thinking we will just let that one slide.


This recipe is for Hard Pretzels

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 tbspn sugar
2 tspns salt
1.5 tspns ative dry yeast
4.5 cups plain flour
Milk
Rock Salt

Combine the warm water, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to foam.

Add the flour and, using the dough hook attachment for your mixer, beat until well combined. The mixture should eventually (after 4-5 mins) form a smooth dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Sit the bowl in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 180C and line 2 -3 baking trays with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil. Mega important or your pretzels will end up with paper stuck to the bottom side of them...good idea if you want extra fibre in your diet, not a good idea if sharing with guests...people look at you funny when you serve them paper coated food - trust me!

Place enough water into a large saucepan to come 1/3 of the way up the sides and bring to a boil over high heat.

Divide the dough into portions and roll out each piece into a stick. Now you can leave them as sticks or play around and make cool shapes, the choice is totally yours. I recommend making the pretzel shapes though, just coz they look cool :)

Now here is where you need assistance or you need to be able to multi-task. Drop 4-5 pretzels into the boiling water at a time. Leave them for 30 seconds and then remove them to your prepared trays. I had a couple boiling while I made the next 4-5 to go in, but I also had OH on stand by incase I needed back up!

Brush the pretzels with a little milk or melted butter and sprinkle with rock salt. Bake until pretzels are golden brown and hard, approximately 55 to 60 minutes.

These should store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

I know it's a touch bit involved, but it's worth it, honestly!!

OH also wanted me to show you his mega awesome salad roll that he made for tea the other night. I believe the layers went something like cheese cucumber tomato ham cheese cucumber tomato ham cheese cucumber tomato ham cheese cucumber tomato ham....it was pretty epic!


There really is nothing better then a fresh salad roll :)


Mmmmmm ham salad roll goodness!!!


Happy Monday everyone!!

Em x