Hungarian Pretzels (Perec)

Submitted by mary winecoff

"This is posted by request. These are used to dip into a Hungarian dip I have posted. These are soft pretzels."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 25mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 16 pretzels

ingredients

• 473.18 ml flour
• 118.29 ml butter
• 177.44 ml milk
• 7.39 ml yeast
• 14.78 ml sugar
• 14.78 ml salt, divided
• 4.92 ml water
• 1 egg yolk
• 4.92 ml flour
• 4.92 ml hot water

directions

1. Warm milk. Remove from heat.
2. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
3. Add yeast and stir until it dissolves.
4. Proof yeast (wait 10 minutes until mixture becomes bubbly).
5. Meanwhile add flour, 1 teaspoon salt and butter to large mixing bowl.
6. Mix together.
7. Add yeast and continue mixing until ball is formed.
8. Divide into 4 equal portion and roll into ball.
9. Add balls to large mixing bowl, cover with towel and place in warm area.
10. Let rise until doubled (usually 30 minutes).
11. Remove 1 ball from bowl.
12. Divide this portion into 4 pieces.
13. Roll each piece into long rope-like shape and form into pretzel shape or cut into pieces for pretzel sticks.
14. Place on oiled baking sheet.
15. Continue until all pretzels are made.
16. Whip egg and 1 teaspoon water together.
17. Brush over pretzels.
18. Bake at 375F for 10 to 15 minutes or until pretzels begin to brown.
19. Meanwhile make salt wash.
20. Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon flour and 1 to 2 teaspoons hot water.
21. This should be a jam like consistency.
22. Brush salt mixture onto pretzels and bake another 3-4 minutes.

Reviews

[CookingONTheSide]

My boys love pretzels so I had to try making my own. They were easier than I thought they would be to make! I found that the dough was pretty simple to work with. The flavor of these pretzels was really good and my sons just loved them. Made for Breads and Bakery of Eastern Europe Challenge ZWT4 for the Tastebud Tickling Travellers.

 

[PaulaG]

I have never made pretzels before. The dough was easy to work with. I got 16 pretzels that were perfect for before dinner appetizers with some coarse ground mustard. They were a big hit. I think I would have enjoyed these more if they had been sprinkled with coarse salt instead of the salt mixture being brushed on. Made for Breads and Bakery of Eastern Europe Challenge *ZWT 4*

 

[MarraMamba]

loved these. wasnt feeling well when i made them so didnt do the washes and scaled recipe down by 1/2.

 

[Karen=^..^=]

These are very good pretzels but a little labor intensive. The texture is different; much silkier than other soft pretzels I've made, I think due to the addition and high quantity of butter in the dough (although there is not a buttery taste to them). I'm not sure if the egg yolk wash is necessary, except maybe to give them a "browner" and shinier look. Also the salt wash (opposed to just sprinkling course salt on them) seems like too much work for the end result. I did get 16 pretzels out of the recipe, but they were small (2 1/2 - 3 inches wide) even though I rolled my ropes pencil thin. I would definitely make 8 larger pretzels next time. I'm glad I tried this (I like to try Hungarian recipes, as it's part of my heritage) but if I made these again, I would probably skip the egg yolk and salt washes and just sprinkle on coarse salt. I hope my notes help anyone who tries these. Thanks for posting! (P.S. I needed almost 3/4 cup more of flour, but that was probably due to the humidity.)