Bake a Piece of Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany, just over six million people, 16 days from late September through the first Sunday in October, lots of beer consumed (6.9 million liters in 2007) and lots of hearty food. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? I’ve never been to the Munich festival but one in Chicago and our own local Sacramento Turn Verein celebration (it was October 4th and 5th).
My favorite part? The soft, chewy Bavarian pretzels a.k.a “Bretzel”. If you’ve never tasted one, they are a treat and Ettore's Bakery makes them during the month of October. You can also find them at Morant's, Freeport Bakery, and the Sacramento German Deli.
Until a few weeks ago, I’d never made Bretzels. After reviewing a few recipes, I came up with one to try. The first batch was good, but a tad bit heavier than hoped for so I made another. Batch two hit the mark! We ate them hot from the oven but they were also good day two.
Traditionally, lye (sodium hydroxide) is used instead of baking soda for the short boiling. I notice those made with lye have a slightly deeper, crisper brown crust then those boiled with baking soda. I’m in the process of locating a source of food grade lye to try this method.
Bretzels are found in Bavaria year around, but are harder to find elsewhere so try making your own! Wrap them in foil, place in a plastic freezer bag and store for weeks. When in the mood, toss one in the oven or toaster oven at 350F for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy plain or with your favorite mustard. They’re great with fall soups too.
Bavarian Style Bretzels
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups warm water (about 100F)
2 tablespoons warm milk or 3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup baking soda
coarse salt, for sprinkling on top
Method:
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a small bowl if making by hand), mix a 1/3 cup of the warm water with the yeast and let stand until foamy.
Add the remaining cup of warm water along with milk, sugar and melted butter. Swirl to dissolve the sugar. Add 3 1/2 cups of the flour and mix on med-low speed. Remove dough once it forms a nice a soft, pliable dough ball. Add more flour if necessary. (You want a soft, slightly sticky dough. The dough will get less sticky as you kneed it.)
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with a towel and let rise until about doubled, about 30-40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Divide the dough into 12 even pieces. Roll each into a 12 to 15-inch rope and form into pretzels. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Let sit for 8 to10 minutes.
In a large, stainless stockpot, bring the water to a soft boil and add the baking soda.
Depending on the size of your pot, drop 1 or 2 bretzels into the boiling water. Boil for 15 to 30 seconds only, turning once. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon, hold above the pot to drain a little and place on the baking sheet. (They will rise more while baking, so leave space between them.) Immediately sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Repeat with the remaining bretzels.
Bake on the upper and middle racks of the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until browned all over. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. 
Comments
You might want to try a major Asian market, like SF, for food-grade lye (okay, I'm assuming it's food-grade since it's stocked on the shelf next to food items, which I'd always found quizzical). I think they have it on the shelves where you find either vinegar or soy sauce.
[Thanks for the tip re: food grade lye. I'll have to head to a few of my favorite Asian markets and check.]
Posted by: LNR | October 14, 2008 5:50 PM
Thanks for all the great Oktoberfest and German info. Next year I will look for it. I have German blood through my maternal side (Scottish on the other) and I'd like to honor it in some way.
Posted by: Andrea | October 19, 2008 11:02 AM