Pretzels

I was able to churn out nice warm breads on alternate days but not anymore now. Come to think of it, the last time I had piping hot loaves of bread from my oven was in November 2009. And that explains why kids are playing with dough made with expired flour so often now.

As I've mentioned earlier, my weighing scale died. I do have another weighing scale at home but it's for a 5kg load and each marker is for 25g measurement. It is so difficult to gauge if I need a 15g ingredient. With DH's intensive travelling schedule, I do not want to spend too much time in shopping malls as I'll rather bring the kids outdoor.

I remember I have a pretzel recipe in cup measurements and decided to make it again, for our afternoon tea.  I made 4 different flavours, parmesan cheese, salt, currants and cinnanon sugar.

These look more like pretzels but still, not too nicely shaped.

And the fat and ugly pretzels :P

When it's fresh from the oven, it tasted very much like Auntie Anne's pretzels.  I cannot remember where I got this recipe from so can't credit the originator.

Pretzels
Ingredients
2/3 cup water (use 1/2 cup first, add more if dough is too dry)
1/3 cup icing sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp corn oil
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 3/4 cups plain flour

Bath solution
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp baking soda
*mix together and stir till dissolved

Method

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Let the machine knead for 15mins, stop the cycle and re-start the machine and let the dough knead for another cycle.
2. Let it proof in machine for 45 - 60 mins or till double in size.
3. Preheat oven to 220C.
4. Divide the risen dough to 8-12 even portions.
5. Form it into pretzels.
6. Dip each pretzel into the bath solution and then let it dry on a tea towel to absorb the extra water.
7. Sprinkle salt on the unbaked pretzels for a salted pretzel. If you want sweet pretzels, don't salt it.
8. Bake the pretzels for 10 minutes or till golden brown.
9. Remove from oven, brush with melted butter (I was lazy so I skipped this step).