The trick to shaping these sourdough pretzels is to start by rolling a long rope of dough, with ends that are thinner than the middle. You then lay the dough in a U shape and twist the ends twice to create the loop. These ends are then turned over towards the base of the U, pressed down and sealed, to form the knot.
Skip ahead to the recipe for Sourdough Pretzels
Let’s talk about pretzels
We have a German grocery store close to us, and I do a fair bit of shopping there. Mostly for chocolates, and citrus juice. The juices come from Sicily where the finest citrus fruit grows in my opinion. At the check out they keep bread products made at the local German Bakery. I usually get myself a pretzel to eat on the way home. This baked delight is shaped into a knot which is supposed to be symmetrical. This bow or loop is not too difficult to master if you are patient. But, if you cannot be bothered to do the typical loop then twist two pieces together and form a circle. These sourdough pretzels have to be eaten the day they are made, and can be topped with salt, which is traditional, or with anything you fancy. I topped some of mine with furikake.
Tying myself in knots
Long time readers of my blog will know that my other hobby is organizing trips. Sometimes I do that just for the people travelling, but mostly I do this for our own holidays. In September we are meeting friends in Paris and I need to get us there at the same time. Our train leaves from Zeeland and arrives at Gare du Nord at 14h35. I was looking at Eurostar for our friends, for their train from Brussels to Gare du Nord, and noticed that there was a train arriving at the same time. It was only last night that I realized we would be on the exact same train. Which in hindsight makes so much sense, as why on earth would two Eurostar trains arrive at the same station at the same time? I just didn’t realize our train went from The Netherlands to Paris and stopped in Belgium!
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Sourdough Pretzels ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Sourdough Pretzels
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 225 g water
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 10 g fine salt
- 1.5 l water
- 30 mls bicarbonate of soda
- 15 mls muscovado sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- flaked salt to sprinkle
- furikake to sprinkle, optional
Method
- Place the bread flour into a stand mixer bowl and make a well in the middle
- Add the water and starter and using a dough hook, combine into a ragged dough
- Cover and set aside for an hour
- Add the salt and using the dough hook, knead for 10 minutes
- Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a ball and place seam side down in the bowl
- Cover and leave to prove until doubled in size
- Divide the dough into 9 pieces weighing 94g each
- Roll each piece into a tight ball, then roll each ball into a sausage shape, 50cm long, on a lightly dusted surface
- You need to ensure that the ends are tapered to allow for shaping
- Set aside to rest for 10 minutes before shaping
- Shape the dough into a U shape and place flat on your work surface
- Lift the ends and twist them twice
- Lay the ends flat on the bottom of the U and press the ends into the dough, forming the traditional shape
- Place the pretzels onto a lined baking tray, cover with a towel and prove until puffed up
- Preheat the oven to 220° Celsius
- While you are waiting for the dough to prove, place the water into a large pot and bring to the boil
- Add the bicarbonate of soda and sugar and stir until dissolved
- Drop the pretzels into the water, 2 or 3 at a time, and boil for 30 seconds
- Flip them over, boil for another 30 seconds then remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a lined baking tray, shaped side up
- Once they are all done, brush the tops with the egg and sprinkle the salt and furikake (if using) on top
- Place the baking tray into the oven and bake for 14 minutes
- Remove the baking tray from the oven, place the pretzels onto a wire rack and leave to cool slightly before enjoying
I am in Johannesburg for work and might not have time to read blogs, and respond to comments while I am away.
See the links below for blog posts I published on April 28:
- 2021: Bones Kitchen & Bar
- 2017: Lemon Meringue Pie
- 2016: Butter Cake
- 2013: Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche Answers Questions For The Blog
- 2012: Food Quiz Number 18 For A Friday
They look so delicious. I have been experimenting with gluten free sour dough over the past year, but I’m still figuring it out. Pretzels seem even trickier with all the shaping.
Wow, that is a challenge all in itself I am sure 🙂
I haven’t made pretzels for a long time. I bet they are extra tasty with the furikake on them.
They were certainly different from the usual 🙂
They turned out bakery perfect, Tandy!
Thank you so much for saying that 🙂
Looks so delicious, Tandy! I love that sourdough twist – such a fun and flavourful take on pretzels.
Thanks, I like the flavour of these 🙂
I bet they are awesome
Thank you Marsha 🙂
I love furikake and have a few jars in my pantry. That’s great you’ll be on the same train!
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Well, I thought we would be – wait for the next installment to see how uninformed I am 😉
I miss proper German pretzels! These look perfect, I only wish I could maintain a sourdough starter.
Come visit and I shall give you the best starter to take home with you 🙂
I’m not much of a baker. The only time I made anything that resembled a pretzel was a failed gluten-free challah lol… Your pretzels look delicious and appealing.
I must try making these with GF flour 🙂
These look and sound amazing! I haven’t had a good pretzel in a long time. I’ve never had a sourdough version. My experience with sourdough has not been good. I have tried on two separate occasions to create a sourdough starter and I just wasn’t successful at it.
I would gift you some sourdough if you lived closer!
Michael and I have made giant pretzels but they weren’t sourdough. Your comment about the Eurostar made me smile. When we travelled from London to Belgium on the Eurostar last year we also realised how many places it stops in.
We have only done Belgium to Paris, which is non stop (well, ours stopped along the way at a random place because of one line being out of use) 🙂
Great you will be on the same train as your friends Tandy. We don’t eat many pretzels here, but I would love to make these
Let me know if you try them!