Apple Pie Stuffed Soft Pretzels With Streusel

DIRECTIONS

• To prepare dough:
• Proof yeast and the 1 TBS sugar in the 1 cup of warm water and allow to rest for 5 minutes until foamy.
• Mix the flours with 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 TBS oil in bowl and then add proofed yeast mixture.
• Stir to form a shaggy dough.
• Place onto lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until a smooth, but slightly sticky dough is formed.
• Place into a greased bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and let sit until doubled (45-60 minutes).
• While waiting for the dough to rise prepare filling and streusel.
• To prepare filling:
• Peel, core, and thinly (1/4" thick) slice the apples and then cut each slice into 8 pieces (I used my peeler/corer/slicer all in one contraption).
• Saute the apple pieces with 1/2 of the TBS of butter, the 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and the pinch of cloves until the apples are tender, but not mushy.
• Remove from heat and stir in the additional 1/2 TBS of butter.
• To prepare streusel:
• Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together.
• With fork cut in the 4 TBS of butter to a crumb consistency.
• Stir in the chopped pecans.
• When dough has risen, punch down, place on lightly floured board, and cut into 8 equal pieces.
• With hands, roll each piece into a 15" long cylinder.
• Flatten the cylinder down with a rolling pin to measure 3" wide by 17" long.
• Place 1 1/2 TBS of the filling mixture along the length of each piece and fold the long edge over to meet the other side.
• Pinch along the seam to thoroughly enclose the filling.
• Roll the dough with your hands to form an even cylinder and fully encapsulate the filling.
• Take the two ends of each filled cylinder and form into a circle that is overlapped by a couple of inches of dough on either side, twist the ends and lay over the opposite side to form a pretzel shape and press to seal.
• Play with the shape a bit to get the right form and then place each one on a parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheet.
• Repeat for all 8 pieces.
• Allow to rise on cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
• While they are rising, boil 2 cups of water and add 1/3 cup of baking soda.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Beat 1 egg white with 1 TBS water and lay it on a flat plate.
• Lay the streusel topping on a flat plate, too.
• When the pretzels have fully risen, drop one at a time into the boiling water and count to 10.
• Remove with a large slotted spatula/spoon to slightly drain and then drop onto the egg white, turn to coat, then drop into the streusel and turn to coat.
• Lay each completed pretzel back on the lined cookie sheet.
• Repeat this procedure until all pretzels are done.
• Place into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes (check on them at 12 minutes).
• Immediately remove from cookie sheets and place on racks to cool.
• *Note:I haven't including the rising time in the"Time To Make" category, but there are two rises for this dough.
• The first is 45-60 minutes and the second is 15 minutes.
• The recipe is written to make use of the rising times for preparing the filling and streusel.