Laugenbrezen (Bavarian Soft Pretzels)

Heather E. Chapman (chapmanh@cadvision.com)

1 qt. water
2 tbsp. baking soda

Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm water. Put the flour into a bowl and add the salt and the sugar and mix everything. Add the yeast water and stir. Then add the cup of water and stir until you have a smooth dough (that can be tiring!)

Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it while adding more flour until it feels not sticky any more. Let the dough sit under a cloth for 20 minutes. Then knead it again and form a long sausage which you cut into 10-12 parts. Then roll each of the parts into a long thing sausage (about one foot long).

Bring the qt. of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Put the Brezen into the water and boil them for 30 seconds. Fish them out with a slotted spoon. If there is foam on them, blow it away.

Put all the Brezen on the cookie sheet. Put a little coarse salt on them. Bake the Brezen in the pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until they have a nice, light-brown color.

The Brezen taste best with a little butter or cream cheese. They can be served as a snack (and are usually eaten in a couple of minutes) or with some salad as dinner.