Η συνταγή και στα ελληνικά στο τέλος της ανάρτησης!

How many times have you bought a sandwich that looked very promising, only to find out that while the stuffing was really good, the bread that was used was kind of stale or had a very bland flavor that eventually made that great looking sandwich a very bad experience?

Sometimes we tend to forget that, for a truly good sandwich, the first and most important thing is the nest in which all the ingredients will be placed and that is the bread.

In Greece we have a variety of breads with different techniques, methods and ingredients, but I honestly believe that the country that has taken bread making one step further is Germany.

I have visited this country many times in the past for business purposes and the one thing I was expecting the most while staying there, was breakfast and the rich variety of breads sitting comfortably on the hotel’s buffet.

For me and I think for many others, bread is not only an essential component of one’s everyday diet, but also a true pleasure of senses. I could very easily eat a whole loaf of bread, plain and simple without anything on or in it and that could be my entire meal.

These pretzel rolls immediately caught my attention when I saw them in King Arthur’s flour, because I could picture them with butter and Greek honey on them as breakfast or with a spread of salted butter as an appetizer before my main course. They were perfect! They had this unique taste pretzels have and at the same time were so soft and rich in flavor inside. This recipe is a keeper and I will definitely make them again as it was also a pressing demand from my family.

  

So let’s make some dough here.

 

Pretzel Rolls

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups lukewarm water

2 tbsp margarine

1 tsp salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup dry milk

2 tsp dry yeast

  

For the Bath

1 liter/ 8 cups water

1 tbsp salt

¼ cup baking soda

 

Instructions

Put everything in a mixer and mix with the hook.

You know it is ready when a smooth, fairly soft dough is gathered around the hook and is somewhat sticky on the bottom.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes.

Knead gently the dough to deflate it and divide it into 8 pieces.

Let them rest for 10 minutes.

Roll each piece into a 30 cm/16 in. log.

Shape the logs into tight pretzels as in the pictures.

Take a baking pan and cover with a parchment paper.

Place the rolls on it and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200° C/ 400° F.

Take a shallow saucepan and put all the ingredients for the bath in.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Drop the rolls into the bath in batches of two.

Cook for 30 seconds per side.

Remove and place them on the parchment paper.

Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake for 20 to 24 minutes or until they have taken a deep golden brown color.

Let them cool a little bit and serve.