Neujahrspretzel (Soft Pretzels)
Ingredients
- 2 cup milk
- 2 each eggs
- 0.5 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 each packs dry yeast
- 2 each teas. salt
- 1 each teas. vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup sugar
- 0.3 cup almonds, chopped
- 7 cup flour
Instructions
- 1
Heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130 degrees F.).
- 2
Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour.
- 3
Slowly beat into warm milk.
- 4
Beat for 2 minutes.
- 5
Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
- 6
Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
- 7
Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
- 8
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- 9
Place dough in a greased bowl.
- 10
Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- 11
Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled (1 hour more).
- 12
Divide dough in half.
- 13
Shape pretzel as follows: Roll dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
- 14
Cross the ends leaving a large loop in the center.
- 15
Flip loop back onto crossed ends to form a pretzel.
- 16
Repeat with remaining dough.
- 17
Place pretzels on greased baking sheets.
- 18
Let rise 15 minutes more.
- 19
Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- 20
Cool on wire racks.
- 21
Mix powdered sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.
- 22
Spread icing on pretzels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
- 23
Makes 2 large pretzels.