Bavarian Pretzel Recipe
A fresh baked Bier Hall favorite served with bier cheese sauce or haus mustard.
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Ingredients
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Pretzel Dough
Bier Cheese Sauce
Method
Making the Pretzel Dough
- 1
Activate the Yeast
In a small bowl, combine warm water (1.5 cups) and sugar (1 tbsp). Sprinkle the active dry yeast (1 tbsp) over the water and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- 2
Mix Dough Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour (4 cups) and salt (1 tsp). Once the yeast is activated, pour it into the flour mixture along with melted unsalted butter (2 tbsp). Mix until a dough forms.
- 3
Knead the Dough
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 4
Let the Dough Rise
Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm area for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Shaping and Boiling the Pretzels
- 5
Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 6
Shape the Pretzels
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope (about 24 inches), then shape it into a pretzel by forming a U shape, crossing the ends, and twisting them before bringing them back down to the bottom of the U.
- 7
Boil the Pretzels
In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and baking soda (0.5 cups) to a boil. Carefully drop each pretzel into the boiling water for about 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- 8
Sprinkle with Salt
Sprinkle coarse sea salt (2 tbsp) over the boiled pretzels before baking.
Baking the Pretzels
- 9
Bake
Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- 10
Cool
Remove the pretzels from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Making the Bier Cheese Sauce
- 11
Combine Ingredients
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream cheese (8 oz), sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups), and beer (0.5 cups). Stir until melted and smooth.
- 12
Add Spices
Add garlic powder (1 tsp), onion powder (1 tsp), mustard powder (1 tsp), salt (0.5 tsp), and black pepper (0.25 tsp). Mix well and heat until warm.