Sweet Pretzels Recipe: A Delicious Twist on a Classic Treat

Sure, here’s an expanded version of the recipe:

Delightful Sweet Pretzels Recipe: A Perfect Blend of Fluffy and Sweet

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup warm (105 to 100 degrees F) water
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size chunks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups unsifted unbleached all-purpose flour, plus an additional 2 tablespoons for kneading
• 5 tbsp sugar (preferably turbinado-style vanilla sugar) or vanilla-scented granulated sugar, or sparkling sugar (plain or colored), for sprinkling on the unbaked pretzels

Directions:

Preparing the Dough:

1. Begin by preparing the yeast mixture. Stir together the yeast, 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar, and warm water in a heatproof measuring cup. Allow the mixture to stand until it becomes swollen, which usually takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bleached flour and salt. Add the yeast-milk-butter-vanilla mixture and stir to combine, using a wooden spoon or flat wooden paddle. At this point, the dough will be thick and sticky.
3. Blend in the unbleached flour and mix until most of the flour is combined; the dough will still be somewhat scraggly.
4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead lightly to create a smooth dough. Dust the work surface with the additional 2 tablespoons of unbleached flour. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes bouncy and moderately soft.
5. Place the dough in a bowl heavily coated with softened unsalted butter. Lightly turn it to coat all sides with a film of butter. Make several cuts in the dough with a pair of kitchen scissors, cover tightly with a sheet of food-safe plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in bulk.

Shaping and Rising:

6. Uncover the dough and discard the plastic wrap. Line several cookie sheets or rimmed sheet pans with ovenproof parchment paper.
7. To form the pretzels, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half, then cut each half into 6 even-size pieces, creating 12 pieces in total.
8. Roll each piece into a rope of your desired length, whether it’s pudgy pretzels or longer, more slender ones. Tie the ropes into knots, either in the middle or at one end, or vary the knots. Place the pretzels on the prepared baking pans, spacing them at least 3 inches apart, and arrange 4 pretzels on each pan.
9. Cover the pans of pretzels loosely with sheets of food-safe plastic wrap. Allow the pretzels to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes or until they become just puffy.

Finishing Touches:

10. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F in advance of baking. Remove and discard the sheets of plastic wrap covering the pretzels.

Glazing and Baking:

11. For the glaze, whip the egg white until frothy in a small mixing bowl. Film the top of each pretzel with the whipped egg white, using a soft pastry brush and gentle strokes.
12. Sprinkle a little of the vanilla sugar or sparkling sugar on top of each egg white-glazed pretzel.
13. Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until they are set and golden. Place the pans on cooling racks and let the pretzels stand in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove the pretzels to other cooling racks using a wide offset metal spatula.

Serving:

14. Serve the delightful sweet pretzels either warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

• For an extra touch, consider serving the pretzels with a side dish of apricot or peach preserve sauce (heat 1 cup best-quality preserves with 1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice, bring to a simmer, then flavor with 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract). It’s a perfect accompaniment to these freshly baked sweet pretzels.
• India Tree Vanilla Sugar Turbinado Style is a lightly crunchy, vanilla-imbued sugar. Sprinkling it on sweet yeast-risen breads adds a delightful sweet and scented surface.

Enjoy these fluffy, sweet pretzels as a delightful treat that combines the perfect blend of soft and sugary flavors. Whether served as a snack or dessert, they are sure to be a hit with family and friends alike.