If there is one thing that we love, it’s fresh baked bread – and buying in store is simply NOT an option. It’s rather easy to make it at home instead of toting all of the kids to the store (and risking additional purchases).
I have always LOVED pretzel rolls, but we don’t make them much at all. We had Wild Cod for dinner and I thought that would be a great time to make them – PLUS, my boys had a hankering for pretzels.
And I didn’t want to make pretzels.
But pretzel rolls? Best of both worlds – they could make my boys happy, AND make dinner complete, and so it started.
You probably have everything right in your kitchen – making them is time consuming .. but if you are already home, then it’s nothing but taking the time to let them rise.
Well, I’ll be honest. It will take you lots of time if you are making many items. At the time, I was making Dill Buttered Carrots, Wild Cod, Cranberry Pudding AND Rolls. Not to mention every 5 minutes someone asked for more milk. And cheese. And pasta. And a milkshake. Then the oldest wanted baked beans… and so the list goes on, and on. (The joy of having kids!)
Pay attention to this part though:
They will look BEAUTIFUL after the 2nd rise.
They will NOT look beautiful after they are boiled.
They will look awkward after you brush them with egg white.
You may possibly even wonder if you are doing them right — they will not be the beautiful, fluffy, round rolls you saw on the 2nd rise.
But look and see what happens AFTER they bake in the oven – PERFECTION. So good. You will never buy them again.
- 1 1/2 C. Warm Water (110 degrees F)
- 2 1/2 tsp of Red Star Active Dry Yeast (or ONE 1/2 oz packet)
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 4 1/2 c. Organic, Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1/4 C. Baking Soda
- 1 large Egg, beaten well
- Sea Salt to Sprinkle on top
- In your KitchenAid, mix the yeast and water and let rest 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
- Add the sugar, flour, salt, and butter - mix well until combined using your dough hook.
- Put the dough in a well oiled bowl, place a towel atop, and let rise 1 hour.
- In the meantime, line your sheet pans with a baking mat or parchment paper.
- Split the dough into 18 equal pieces and start forming a round ball. Pull the sides to the center and pinch to seal.
- Put the pinched side facing down and cup your hands around the dough ball until the dough is a nice even circular ball.
- Put the ball on the baking sheet (pinched side down), leave even space between each roll)
- Let rise for 30 minutes or until double in size (we left ours on the counter top).
- Preheat your oven to 425.
- Fill a stockpot with 2 quarts of water, and turn on medium-low (you want it to start boiling).
- Add 1/4 c. baking soda (a little at a time because it will foam up!)
- Place the rolls a few at a time into the water/soda mixture, seam side down. Poach for 30 seconds on each side and flip with a slotted spoon.
- Poach for 30 seconds on the opposite side, then remove with a slotted spoon and place seam side down on the baking mats. Repeat with the others.
- Once they are all poached, brush each with the beaten egg - making sure to cover ALL sides.
- Use a knife to mark a slash in the top of each, and sprinkle with Sea Salt.
- Pop in the oven for 15 minutes or until brown.
- Using salted butter? Then omit the 2 tsp Kosher Salt in the recipe.
