Three-Seed Beer Pretzels
Makes ten 4½ inch pretzels
INGREDIENTS:
548 grams (4 cups) bread flour, plus more as needed
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2¼ teaspoons table salt
¾ cup amber ale or lager
28 grams (2 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, room temperature
36 grams (1½ tablespoons) barley malt syrup (see notes) or molasses
85 grams (⅓ cup) baking soda
35 grams (¼ cup) raw pumpkin seeds
36 grams (¼ cup) raw shelled sunflower seeds
10 grams (2 tablespoons) caraway seeds
1 large egg white, beaten
2 teaspoons flaky salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the flour, yeast and table salt. Add the beer, ⅔ cup water, butter and barley malt syrup; mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Increase to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, shiny, elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 6 to 7 minutes; if the dough climbs up the hook, stop and push it off. The dough should feel tacky but should not stick and cling to your fingers. If it does, knead in up to 2 tablespoons more flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 275°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. Spread the baking soda in an even layer on it and bake without stirring for 1 hour; it will not change in appearance. Cool, then transfer to a small airtight container; set aside. (The baked baking soda can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month.) Reserve the parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. When ready to shape the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and gently punch it down. Let stand, covered, until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, line another rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment, then mist it and the reserved one with cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the pumpkin, sunflower and caraway seeds; set aside.
4. Heat the oven to 450°F with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. In a large Dutch oven over medium-low, whisk 3 quarts water and the baking soda; cover the pot. Turn the dough out onto an unfloured counter. Using a chef’s knife or bench scraper, divide it into 10 pieces, each about 95 grams (3¼ ounces). Roll each into a log roughly 6 inches long; keep the logs covered.
5. Place 1 dough log in the center of your work surface. Using your hands and applying only light pressure to start, roll the dough back and forth against the counter to stretch it to a 26- to 28-inch rope. If the dough springs back when rolled, let it rest, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes; begin rolling additional pieces while the previous ones rest. If the dough has air pockets that resist rolling, apply forceful pressure as your hands pass over the bubble in order to get the dough to stretch.
6. Cross the arms of the rope, forming an X about 3 inches in from each end, then twist the arms around each other and attach the ends to the “belly” at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions; press firmly to seal. Transfer the pretzel to a prepared baking sheet and shape it so it measures about 4½ inches wide. Shape the remaining portions in the same way, placing 5 pretzels, evenly spaced, on each baking sheet. Cover with kitchen towels and let rise at room temperature until puffy but not doubled in bulk, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the water to a simmer, covered, over medium-high, whisking occasionally to ensure the soda dissolves.
7. Carefully transfer 2 or 3 pretzels to the simmering water, taking care not to crowd the pot; the pretzels will expand as they simmer. Cook, gently ladling water over the pretzels, for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, return the pretzels to the baking sheet; repeat with remaining pretzels.
8. Brush the surface of each pretzel with egg white. Using a small, sharp knife, score a horizontal slash, about ¼ inch deep and 3 inches long, along the belly of each pretzel. Sprinkle the pretzels with the seed mixture, followed by flaky salt. Bake until deeply browned, 14 to 16 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the pretzels to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes: Don’t flour the counter when working with the dough. An unfloured surface provides traction for easier shaping. Also, make sure the pot of alkalized water is simmering by the time the shaped pretzels have almost doubled. If the pretzels have to wait for the water to heat, the yeast may lose some of its oomph. Finally, don’t leave the pretzels in the water for longer than 30 seconds or they may not rise well in the oven.
These soft pretzels offer a chewy, salty crust and soft, slightly sweet interior. Dark, sticky barley malt syrup supplies earthy sweetness and contains enzymes that help the pretzels develop a rich, golden hue. Look for it where you’d find molasses, which is a great substitute, if needed. To hydrate the dough, we’ve opted for beer, which provides a complex, slightly funky flavor. Any variety works, but we especially like the grassiness of hefeweizen and the caramel notes of amber ale. Traditional Bavarian pretzels get their snappy texture and mahogany tone from lye. While the flavor it yields is unparalleled, lye is tricky to work with, so instead, we gently heat baking soda to make it more alkaline, then dissolve it in water that we briefly boil the pretzels in. This gives them characteristics akin to the classic Bavarian pretzels. A sprinkle of flaky salt and a savory seed mix add a flavorful crunch. Enjoy slightly warm or at room temperature and with any variety of mustard.
Start to finish: 11½ hours (1½ hours active), plus cooling
Recipes provided by Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television; used with permission.
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