Since we recently returned from a road trip to Quebec City, Canada, where the Winterfest was being hosted, I have been in the mood for baking the most exquisite, doughy, vegan soft pretzels ever produced in my kitchen. While in the city, we snacked on warm pretzels purchased from a number of vendors present at the fair, but none of them, although still very good, came close to the taste of a homemade bread.
Weeks later, on a freezing February afternoon, fire cracking in the fireplace and Oakwood scenting the air, I set out to the very task of perfecting my recipe for a soft and doughy pretzel.
Prep Time: 45 min | Proof 1: 1½ hrs, Proof 2: 25-30 min | Cook Time: 28-30 min for poaching and baking | Makes: 10 medium pieces | Difficulty Level: ♦♦♦ – Intermediate
the Dough
- 3 ½ cups Flour – all-purpose
- 1 ¼ cups Water – lukewarm
- 2 tbsp Butter, plant-based – melted and cooled
- 3 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
The “Egg Wash”
- 5 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Milk – plant-based
- Sea Salt- coarse
On to the Dough
Put the water in a small/medium bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Set aside until bloomed (e.g., dissolved and foamed in the water).
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour (2 cups to start), salt and sugar. Add the bloomed yeast and stir well with a wooden spoon until a slack and wet mixture is obtained. Add the melted butter and the remaining flour while mixing with your hands. As the dough begins to form, tip onto a floured workbench and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, or until an elastic, smooth dough is obtained. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a dry tea towel, and proof for 1 ½ hrs.
Punch the dough, roll out into a long log and slice into 10 equal portions. Roll into a ball and make the pretzel knots any shape you wish. Place the knots on a floured surface, wood is preferable over metal, and proof for another 25-30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, about 10 cups worth of water, and add 2 tbsp baking soda. When the water starts to bubble again after adding the powder, poach the pretzels for 30 seconds one at a time. Drain and place a wooden surface to cool for a few minutes.
Preheat the oven to 420°F.
Dust a baking sheet heavily with flour, or semolina flour which actually works better (it absorbs more moisture than all purpose white flour), place the pretzels about 2” away from each other and brush with maple syrup wash (syrup diluted with 1 tsp plant-based milk). Sprinkle with generous coarse sea salt and bake on the a medium-low oven rack for 10 minutes. Position the baking sheet on the second top oven rack and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until a dark, but not burnt, golden-brown.
EXTRAS AND TIPS
I made two different sizes for this batch bake to accommodate my friends’ and family’s taste. Some like their pretzels harder (smaller pretzels will be harder), while others doughier (larger pretzels will be doughier), so to make everyone happy, I shaped the bread to slightly different sizes.
Poach your pretzels one at a time, as putting too much gluten in the boiling water will lower its temperature. If you leave gluten in water that isn’t boiling it will dissipate the structure resulting in a gooey mess.
German Winterfest in Downtown Québec City, Canada. Winter Holidays 2022.
