Wednesday, August 03, 2011

soft pretzels with spicy cheese dip - for bridal shower...

 



One of my good friends is getting married and she had her bridal shower this last weekend.  It was a "potluck shower" so I was very excited to bring a dish and I wanted it to be something special!  These pretzels were fun to make and even better to eat - and they were a hit at the shower!  I will definitely be making these again for parties or just to eat at home for fun. :)  Congratulations Gina & Andrew - I am so excited for you and so happy to be a part of your lives!  Your friendship means so much to me!  May your marriage be blessed and full of good food....

Soft Pretzels
Ingredients:
For the dough:
1½ cups warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl
For finishing:
Cooking spray
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Pretzel (or kosher) salt
Directions:
To make the dough, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast in bowl.  Mix to dissolve the yeast.  Add in the flour and melted butter and mix just until the dough comes together.  Knead until the dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly greased with vegetable oil, turning once to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, about 50-55 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven to 450° F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot.
In the meantime, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Working with one piece at a time, roll a segment out into a 24-inch long rope.  Make any desired shape with the rope.  Place onto the parchment lined baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.



Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 or 2 at a time, for 30 seconds.  Remove from the water with a slotted skimmer and return to the baking sheet.  Once all the pretzels have been boiled, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, about 12-14 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.


**Note: In order to save time, I made the dough and shaped the pretzels the night before and then froze them.  The next day I took the from the freezer and placed them directly in the boiling baking soda water, for about 45 seconds or until the float.  Then I did the egg wash, salted them and baked them a little longer - about 15 minutes or until golden brown.   I definitely recommend this method if you are going to make them for a party of event and want to save time!  

Spicy Cheese Dip

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup cheddar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Red pepper flakes, to taste 
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the milk. Cover and bring to a simmer.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese, garlic and pepper flakes until the cheese is completely melted. Serve with fresh soft pretzels!


Source: Annie's Eats & Savvy Eat

6 comments:

Gina Rae said...

THESE ARE AMAZING! Thanks Josie for bringing such a delicious treat to my shower. :) <3 you!

Heather said...

I made this according to the recipe and it worked out great (being a non-baker, I was surprised)! My husband loved it!!!!

josie mae said...

Thanks Gina - I'm so glad you liked them, it was my pleasure! :) <3 you too!

Heather, I'm so glad they turned out for you...see...you are a baker after all ;) I'm glad Kevin enjoyed them too. We have to make our men happy, you know. :)

Savannah said...

josie, do you use dry yeast or freash yeast? I would really like to try and make these! Any tips for me?

josie mae said...

Savannah - I used active dry yeast - you can find it in the baking aisle usually in individual packets. Let me know if you have any other questions! :)

Savannah said...

I do have active dry yeast! I keep it in the fridge! Yay! I can't wait to try and make them!:)