The History of the Pretzel

There are a few stories chronicling the history of the pretzel. In one version of the story Italian monks, dating back to the year 610 AD, used scraps from their bread making to create the snack they called pretiola or "little reward." Others claim the origin of the pretzel is in fact German, as it has been a well documented symbol of the baker's guild since 1111. Whencesoever it started, pretzels have been a popular snack since they were first introduced.

In the sixteenth century, pretzels became an important part of the German Catholic religion. Eaten primarily on Good Friday and during Lent, when Catholics cannot consume anything containing eggs, lard or dairy products like milk and butter. The pretzel's simple recipe of water flour and sugar make it inexpensive and safe to eat during these religious holidays. Pretzels also became popular during Easter and they were hidden, like eggs, on Easter morning.

Originally pretzels were covered in chocolate, sugar, and sometimes butter. The recipes vary and some do contain eggs, milk, or butter. According to some traditions, a bath of lye is needed in order to obtain that authentic pretzel crust. I did a little research and found a few sources that swear there are less caustic ways to obtain an authentic soft pretzel. I modified the recipes I found to make a simple and tasty pretzel.

What you'll need:

Makes 8 large pretzels

1 teaspoon instant/bread maker yeast

2 tablespoon malt powder or brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached or bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water (approximately 110 degrees, which is 1 minute in my microwave)

Topping: Coarse salt (I used kosher), cinnamon and sugar, cheese, anything else your little heart desires.

Mix the warm water and yeast and allow to sit for five minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients together and let dough rest for five minutes.

Cut into eight pieces and roll dough into a long cylinder. Let rest again for five minutes and continue rolling until the pieces are about 12-16 inches long. I preferred making them as long and thin as possible because they rise quite a bit during baking. To twist the pretzels take both ends and start by making a heart shape. Criss-cross the ends and fold over in the classic pretzel shape.

To replace the lye bath, flash boiling the pretzels seems to be the best bet. I used a slotted spoon to dip the pretzels for 10 seconds a piece. Place immediately on a greased cookie sheet and top with whatever you'd like. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Whether you believe this twisted treat was invented by Italian monks or by German bakers most will agree that the pretzel is a tasty snack. It's a super simple recipe that takes little to no effort to make and can be fun for the whole family. I made these with my thirteen and eleven year old nieces and they had a blast making and eating them with me. This recipe worked best for me but I combined and changed a few recipes to come up with this one. Make small batches to begin with and have fun! I forgot how great it feels to create something in the kitchen from scratch.