just got back from Germany so of course I need to revisit my bretzel baking. I have done the boiled and baked method before and they seemed more like bagels. I found this recipe that is bake only. Im debating steam or not, the recipe I’m following does’nt steam but I will. Any input? P.S. these are sourdough
A lot of moisture comes off the boiled (wet) pretzels as they bake, so if I skipped boiling, I’d probably steam too.
My thought exactly so I steamed and they came out great. One less step for me makes the difference. I’ll do these again but make them bigger so I can make those street pretzels they top with meats and cheeses. I forgot what they are called
I’m glad that came out well! I was just thinking maybe I would make a baking soda and water solution to spray them with just before baking, to get that particular flavor on the skin of the pretzels…
This recipe called for brushing with an egg yoke/cream solution before the final proof then again before sprinkling the toppings. Which is different. I use sea salt on some and everything on some. I think Ill do some plain next time as well. What’s nice about the egg yoke is I usually coat my SD bread with the whites this will give me something to do with the yoke
The other half of the egg… Jacques Pepin wrote a whole book on that. That’s why I make a lemon curd layer on my pavlovas 
1 Like