Pretzels

Everybody loves pretzels - crunchy, brown, salty heart-shaped snacks! Did you know pretzels have been around for approximately thirteen hundred and ninety years?  Pretzels were invented by an ambitious monk baking unleavened bread for the Christian Lent. Because Christians in those days prayed with their hands crossed over their chests, he tried shaping the dough to mimic that action. They were baked to a soft bread consistency and given as a treat to children that memorized their prayers. The monk named his new treat 'pretiola' - a Latin word meaning 'little reward'. [Source:Essortment.com]

Today pretzels come in all shapes and sizes and many companies experiment with flavor. Butter-flavored pretzels are favorites that have stayed in the public eye. Pretzels are great accompaniments to soups, salads, entrees and beer.

This was the first time I made pretzels myself. I remember eating pretzels first in an airport. They taste great dipped in salt or mustard. I a paired this month with Res-o-puh-leese for Taste and Create event this month. Browsing through her interesting site, I found this recipe very interesting. Being a big fan of pretzels i tried this immediately. They turned out crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside! 

Here is the recipe as suggested by Kendall!

Ingredients

Active dry yeast - 2 teaspoons
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) - 1/2 cup
All-purpose flour - 2 cups
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
Hot water - 2 cups
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Kosher salt, for topping

Directions

Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in luke-warm water and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast turns the water frothy. In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt and add the sugar and yeast mixture.
Knead the dough until smooth, for about 7 minutes. The dough should be elastic. It need not be very smooth.
Lightly oil a large bowl and put the dough in the bowl, turning so that the dough is completely covered with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for about one hour, or until dough has doubled.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Divide the dough into 10 to 12  pieces and roll each out into a long rope of about 12 inches long. It shouldnt be too thin. Form into pretzel shape. For more pictures on shaping check this site.
Dissolve baking soda in hot water and dip the pretzels into the water mixture. Sprinkle kosher salt or desired toppings on the shaped pretzels.

Bake on a greased baking sheet for about 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter.

Serve warm!

Since this recipe is eggless and low in fat am sending this to Madhuram's Lowfat Eggless Baking event