Japanese

November 9, 2002: Making pretzel

I suddenly wanted to eat "pretzel" which is becoming popular recently here in Oita on Food mailing list.
A message was sent from New York, but we can't get it here in Oita.
Then, I have no choice other than making it by myself.
No excuse is allowed today.

How to make it, anyway?
My 30 years experience of baking home bread can be applied on it?
This is why I have started to knead the flour and make the dough sleep for a while for the primary fermentation.
The dough will then be spread as thin as possible.
I called back the shape of the pretzel I saw on New York streets.

I remember the dough wasn't fermented too much, and I put it in the oven soon.
Yes, New York pretzel was shining on the surface. I may paste egg white on it.
I brushed the egg white and baked it.
　　　

I finally got "fat" pretzel, not like the New York products.

Yes, the shape is different from the genuine product after all.

I turned back to the web site of making pretzel.
It should be salty, far from sweet and white one I made.
Two findings:
The flour should be of "weak" and ordinary flour mixture.
Don't use egg white, but paste much butter after baking, they say.

I will challenge better pretzel next time acceptable by my husband.