German New Year Pretzel

Name: German New Year Pretzel
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: ['8', '8 servings']
Cuisine: german
Ingredients: 6.25 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 cup lukewarm milk, divided; 4.5 tablespoons white sugar; 2.25 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, or more as needed; 4.5 tablespoons melted butter; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 pinch salt; 1 egg yolk; 1 teaspoon white sugar, or as needed

3.50 (6)

⏱ 140 mins 🍽 ['8', '8 servings'] 🌶 german 🏷 Snack

This sweet, soft pretzel is a traditional German food eaten to bring good fortune at New Year. The yeasted dough is enriched with butter, milk, and lemon zest, then shaped into a classic pretzel form. After a final rise, it is glazed with egg yolk, sprinkled with sugar, and baked until beautifully golden. It yields 8 servings and takes about 140 minutes to prepare and bake. Serve warm with butter for a lucky start to the year.

Ingredients

6.25 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk, divided
4.5 tablespoons white sugar
2.25 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, or more as needed
4.5 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 pinch salt
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon white sugar, or as needed

Method

Combine the yeast with 1/2 cup of the lukewarm milk in a bowl, then stir in 4 1/2 tablespoons of sugar. Leave it to stand for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes creamy and foamy.
Mix the yeast liquid with 2 1/4 cups of flour in a bowl until the mixture appears dry and clumpy. Let this dough rest for 15 minutes. Next, incorporate the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, the melted butter, egg, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt, mixing until fully combined.
Knead the dough thoroughly, adding extra flour if required, until it feels smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave the dough in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Heat your oven to 390 degrees F (199 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Give the risen dough a brief, gentle knead. On the prepared baking sheet, roll it into a long rope and twist it into a pretzel shape. Cover this shaped dough with a towel or plastic and allow it to proof for a further 15 minutes.
Lightly brush the surface of the dough with the egg yolk, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar evenly over the top.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pretzel turns a deep golden brown.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories255 kcal

Fat9 g

Sugars9 g

Protein7 g

Sodium71 mg

Recipe details

CategorySnack

Cuisinegerman

Authorcgalaise