German Vanillebrezeln Vanilla Pretzels Recipes

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl (or bowl of a mixer), stir together syrup, lard or butter, yeast, 2 cups warm water and half the flour. Add kosher salt and remaining flour and stir just until mixture comes together in a shaggy mass.
• Turn out onto counter (or attach dough hook to mixer) and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and supple. Cut into 12 pieces and let rest 5 minutes.
• Roll out each piece into a rope about 22 inches long. (For traditional shape, the ends should be thin and the center fat.) Lift both ends, twist them around each other once, then bring ends back and press them on either side of fat "belly," at about 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock. Then gently spread out "shoulders" of pretzel. Transfer shaped pretzels to an ungreased baking sheet. (Alternatively, form each piece into a round or oval to make laugenbrötchen, rolls.)
• Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a deep bowl, wearing rubber or latex gloves, make a solution of 1/2 cup lye and 10 cups water (or 1 part lye to 20 parts water); pour lye carefully into water to avoid splashing. Dip each pretzel in solution, turning it over for 10 to 15 seconds, and place back on baking sheet.
• Sprinkle pretzels with salt. Bake about 15 minutes or until deep brown. Remove to a rack and serve warm.

Steps:

• Sift flour with baking powder into a wide bowl.
• form a well in flour.
• To this add butter, cut into small pieces, 1 beaten egg, vanilla, sugar and cream.
• Work ingredients together with your fingertips until you have a smooth dough that sticks together.
• Form a ball, wrap in waxed paper and chill 30 minutes.
• Break dough off in pieces slightly larger than a walnut.
• With floured hands, roll each piece to a thin rope.
• Shape into a pretzel.
• Arrange on buttered baking sheet and chill 20 minutes.
• Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with chopped almonds, then sugar.
• Bake in preheated 325 F.
• oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
• VARIATION: The almond and sugar topping may be omitted and the pretzels baked and cooled, then spread with White Sugar Glaze.
• WHITE SUGAR GLAZE: For cookies and cakes, and especially for Lebkuchen, 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, 1 teaspoon rum or brandy (optional), 1/2 to 1 1/4 Tablespoons hot water, or as needed.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, flavorings and rum or brandy.
• Gradually stir in hot water, a tablespoonful at a time, until you have a smooth thick paste.
• Spread on warm cookies.
• If mixture cools and thickens as you work, thin with additional hot water.
• Sugar sprinkles can be scattered on the glaze before it hardens.
• Makes 1/4 cup, or enough to ice about fifteen 1 1/2 inch cookies.
• Visions of Sugar Plums.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1 1/3 cup water. Let this mixture stand until bubble begin to form, about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and gradually stir in the remaining flour until dough can be picked up and kneaded on the counter. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour if needed.
• Divide the dough into 6 pieces and let them rest for a few minutes. Roll out one piece at a time into a rope about 15 inches long. Loop and twist into that cool pretzel shape. Set on a baking sheet while you roll out the remaining portions.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Bring the remaining 3 cups of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Remove from the heat. Dip pretzels into the water bath for about 45 seconds, flipping over about halfway through. Place the soaked pretzels on a greased baking sheet. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.