[Sca-cooks] Pretzels

[Terry Decker]

Bagels, pretzels, laugenbrot and a number of other yeast breads are boiled 
prior to baking to promote browning via maillard reaction.  Adding alkalines 
to the water (baking soda, lye, etc.) accelerates the reaction which deepens 
the surface carmelization of the bread.

The problem I have with defining Messibugo's brazzatelle as bagels is the 
recipe, as written, isn't a yeast dough.  It is also closer to Rumpolt's 
precedella than it is to modern bagels or pretzels.  It would be nice to 
have a broader selection of recipes, but we don't.

Bear

By Messibugio's pretzels, do you mean Brazzatelle of Milk and Sugar or
something else? My daughter is pretty confident, on linguistic grounds,
that the Brazzatelle are more nearly bagels—which are also boiled and
then baked.

On 2/23/16 5:37 PM, Terry Decker wrote:
> Actually, we have several recipes from Rumpolt and Messibugio.  They are 
> sweet pretzels.  Rumpolt's are baked. Messibugio's are boiled then baked. 
> And I suspect Messibugio's pretzels are probably closer in shape to the 
> kringle than the German style.
>
> Bear