SC - Pretzels

[Decker, Terry D.]

If I have pieced this together properly from some of the messages I saw, we
have someone looking for a period pretzel recipe.  I don't have any period
pretzel recipes and the tale of the pretzel is a new one on me.  It sounds a
little apocryphal, so I'll take it with a grain of salt.  However, the old
grab bag has some recipes.  Let me trot them out with the caveats that I
have not tried them and there is no way to prove them period. 

These recipes should make semi-soft bread pretzels.


NEUJAHRSPRETZEL   (New Year's pretzel)

This is an interesting German recipe.  I doubt that it falls within the SCA
period, but you can make it "medievalish" by replacing the vanilla with milk
of almonds.  You can also make smaller pretzels, although the baking period
may be shorter.  

2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons of dry active yeast (2 pkgs)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
7 to 8 cups of flour
2 eggs
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons of water 
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup almonds, chopped


Heat milk and butter until warm (120-130 degrees F).
Mix yeast, salt, sugar and 1 cup flour.  Add the flour mixture to the milk,
slowly beating it in.
Beat for about 2 minutes additional.
Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
Beat for another 2 minutes.
Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring it in, until a soft dough forms.
On a floured surface, knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover.
Allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down and allow to rise a second time until doubled, about 1
hour.

Divide the dough in half, to form two loaves.
Roll the dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inch in diameter.

Grease two baking sheets.
Cross the ends, leaving a large loop in the center.  Toss the loop back onto
the crossed ends to form a pretzel.  Repeat for second loaf.
Put the pretzels on the baking sheets.  Let rise for 15 minutes.
Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the
pretzels are golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.

Mix confectioner's sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.  Spread
the icing on the pretzels and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.


PRETZEL

This recipe is also German and could easily have been done within the SCA's
period.

1 teaspoon dry active yeast (1 pkg.)
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-110 degrees F)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
Coarse or kosher salt

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow it to proof.
Add the salt to the yeast mixture.
Stir in the flour until it forms a ball.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth.
Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover.  Let the dough rise until doubled.
Punch down the dough and divide it into a dozen pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into a rope.
Twist the rope into a pretzel shape and place on a greased baking sheet.
Beat the egg in a small bowl.
Brush the egg onto the pretzels and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
Cover the pretzels with wax paper and allow to rise until double in bulk.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Bake pretzels for 10 to 15 minutes, until
brown.


SWEET OR SALTY PRETZELS

This one says its Swedish.  It could have been done in the SCA period, but
the richness of the ingredients would make it a festival bread.


1 teaspoon dry active yeast (1 pkg.)
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (90 degrees F)
4 or more cups of flour
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 egg yolks
1/2 pound of butter
2 tablespoons kosher salt or 4 tablespoons fine sugar

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk.
Put 4 cups of flour in a bowl.  Make a depression in the center of the
flour.
Add the yeast mixture, the salt and 1 egg yolk.  Mix well.
Put the dough on a floured surface.
Cut the butter into small pieces.  Dot the dough with half of the butter.
Knead the dough lightly to imbed the butter.
Roll the dough out into a large square.  Dot with the remaining butter.
Fold the butter into the dough.  Cover the dough and chill it for 15
minutes.

Put the dough on the floured surface and roll it out in a square.  
Knead the dough four times.
Chill the dough for 15 minutes.
Repeat this step a second time.


Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough about 1 inch thick, 10 inches wide and 16 to 20 inches
long.
Cut strips 1 inch wide and 10 inches long.  Loop the ends of each strip into
the middle and put on a greased baking sheet.

Beat the egg yolk and brush it onto the pretzels.  Sprinkle with coarse salt
or sugar according to taste.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Bake the pretzels for 20 minutes.  Cool
before serving.

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