International Recipe : Soft Pretzels with Caramel Dip

There are two types of pretzels: the traditional soft pretzel and the hard pretzel. Soft pretzels are soft and chewy and are best eaten on the same day they are made. Hard pretzels – crisp and usually sprinkled with salt – are usually served with drinks.

Ingredients:

• 500g high protein flour, sifted
  
• 8g bread improver, sifted
  
• 100g gluten flour, sifted
  
• 15g malt extract, sifted
  
• 10g milk powder, sifted
  
• 20g castor sugar
  
• 10g salt
  
• 5g instant active dry yeast
  
• 375ml water
  
• 5ml alkaline water

To make soda solution, mix:

• 1 litre water
  
• 20g bicarbonate of soda
  
• ½ tsp salt

Topping choices – use one or more of the following:

• Coarse sea salt
  
• Sesame seeds
  
• Poppy seeds
  
• Cinnamon
  
• Sugar
  
• Chopped nuts
  
• Grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Mix sifted ingredients, castor sugar, and salt in electric mixer with dough hook on low speed for a minute.
2. Mix in yeast. Mix water and alkaline water and add to yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, increasing speed to medium and continue mixing for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Shape dough into a ball. Cover and leave to rise for 45 minutes.
4. Dip each pretzel into the soda solution. Place on a wet tea towel to drain excess liquid.
5. Place desired topping on a tray. Lay a pretzel on the tray and press to coat. Place pretzels topping side up on buttered oven tray.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 230 degrees C for eight minutes or until browned.
7. Immediately brush pretzels generously with softened butter or dip in melted butter.

Caramel Dip

Ingredients:

• 175g brown sugar
  
• 80g butter
  
• 200ml whipping cream

This caramel dip is delicious with pretzels. To make it, stir butter and brown sugar in saucepan over low heat until sugar has dissolved without boiling. Stir in cream. Boil for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.