Why do you boil soft pretzels?
Boiling the dough causes it to instantly puff, creating a chewy interior and giving the exterior a head start on forming a crisp crust. The baking soda also produces pretzels with a deep golden brown and cracked appearance.
What is a German brezel?
The German brezel, or brezen in Bavarian, enjoys indisputable popularity among the breads of the world and is usually found in the form of a laugenbrezel, or lye pretzel. The laugenbrezel gets its characteristic brown color and crisp, glossy outer crust from a sodium hydroxide bath prior to baking.
Do Soft pretzels need to be boiled?
However, they aren’t particularly difficult to make, so long as you follow one necessary step. Soft pretzels have to be boiled in baking soda before they’re baked (via Taste of Home). Introducing the pretzel to the alkaline solution changes the pH level of the dough.
How do you keep soft pretzels from getting hard?
Keep it in a paper bag Paper bags are preferable to plastic bags, as these allow the moisture to escape. Keep in mind, though, that with a paper bag your pretzels may become stale more quickly than by freezing them or placing them in a bread box.
Why do pretzels need baking soda bath?
The answer lies in a brief dip in an alkaline water bath before baking. This bath essentially gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel, preventing it from fully “springing” during baking (as bread does) and giving pretzels their signature chewy crust. It also gives them their unique and indelible “pretzel” flavor.
Why do they use lye in pretzels?
Lye is a strong alkali that can be dangerous if misused, but it’s lye that enhances the Maillard reaction on the outside of the dough. This reaction gives each pretzel a chewy crust, mahogany color, glossy sheen, and that unmistakable pretzel flavor typical of a German soft pretzel.
What is the difference between a Bavarian pretzel and a soft pretzel?
In fact, the difference between an American soft pretzel and a Bavarian one is about as stark as between a Lender’s bagel and an Ess-a-Bagel bagel (or a Montreal bagel, for that matter).
Why do you put baking soda in boiling water?
Baking soda on its own has a high pH, of course, but the boiling water will boost the alkalinity further. “When you add baking soda to boiling water, sodium bicarbonate breaks down into three compounds: sodium carbonate, water, and carbon dioxide,” says Sharma.
Why do you dip pretzels in baking soda?
As noted above, baking soda is a staple ingredient for making homemade pretzels. Dunking your pretzels in a baking soda bath prior to baking is what enables them to develop their distinctive color and crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside texture.
Do Soft pretzels have milk in them?
No pretzels do not contain lactose and dairy. The traditional ingredients typically have sugar, yeast, salt and flour. Some places will add butter, or offer butter as a topping. Its worth checking the ingredients, but you should be fine most of the time.
What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel?
The secret to making a pretzel is by giving it a bath in liquid diluted lye before baking it. Lye is a highly concentrated alkaline solution that gives the pretzels its unique taste and dark brown color.