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~ Vixon's recipe for Soft Pretzels ~

Ingredients:

For the pretzels:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water, divided (dont be afraid to add more if needed)

5 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the Baking Soda bath:

2/3 cup of baking soda

10 cups of water

Pretzel salt or coarse salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Spray with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter.

Make the dough:

In the bowl, combine the yeast, barley malt syrup/sugar, and 1/4 cup of the water. Whisk to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes or until frothy.

Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups water, flour, and salt, and stir to combine. Mix until combined.

Knead for five minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl or your hands, adding more flour if needed. This will be a very dense dough.

Shape the pretzels:

There is no need to allow this dough to rise. Remove the dough to a clean work surface (do not flour). Divide into 10 equal pieces (each should be about 100 grams). Roll each piece against the counter or between your palms into about a 24-inch long log. The thinner the log, the crispier the pretzels. The thicker, the softer the pretzels.

Shape the log into a letter U. Cross the arms placing one over the other, then twist them around each other once. Bring the ends down to the bottom of the U and gently press to stick. Place on two greased parchment-lined baking sheets.

If you prefer softer spongier pretzels, allow the shaped pretzels to rise for 30 minutes before bathing in the lye.

For the Baking Soda bath:

In a large pot, bring the baking soda and water to a boil. Boil the pretzels in small batches in the soda solution for about 1 minute, pushing the pretzels into the water to submerge occasionally. Proceed with the recipe as written after the lye bath step.

Bake the pretzels:

Bake both trays at 400°F for about 16 minutes, alternating the trays halfway through the baking time for even baking, until deeply golden brown. Bake for less time for softer pretzels and more time for crispier pretzels.

Let cool for 5 minutes before peeling away from the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature the same day you bake the pretzels.

~ Vixon's recipe for Beer Cheese Dip ~

Ingredients:

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

⅔ cup beer

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute.

Stir in milk and beer a bit at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Continue cooking over medium heat, add in mustard and Worcestershire, cooking sauce until thick and bubbly.

Turn off the heat and add the cheddar and Gruyere cheese. Stir until melted and smooth.