Soft Sourdough Pretzels {Einkorn Or Spelt}
Pretzels may be my biggest weakness. They're so hard to resist, with their chewy browned softness. Of course, I easily solve the temptation of commercial pretzels by making my own! I use wholesome ancient flours like einkorn or spelt. I also leaven my dough using natural fermentation, and know that I have approved every single ingredient before I add it.
Ingredients
- 1 potato small, boiled, peeled, and chopped (about 100g)
- 1 cup pure water warm
- 1 tablespoon sourdough starter active
- 1 tablespoon evaporated cane juice
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour einkorn, spelt or a mix of both
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter softened
For boiling pretzels:
- 10 cups pure water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
Instructions
-
Combine potato, water, sourdough starter, and sweetener in a blender.
-
Blend until uniform.
-
Next, sift 4 cups of flour into a large bowl.
-
Add potato/water liquid.
-
Mix with spoon until no dry spots remain.
-
Cover and leave for 30 minutes. In baker's terms, this is autolysis -- the flour will hydrate and enzymes will begin breaking down starch, etc.
-
At the end of 30 minutes, add salt and butter.
-
Then knead it by hand or with a dough mixer.
-
Once the dough starts getting too sticky, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
-
Knead to incorporate. The dough should be nice and pliable, and maybe slightly sticky.
-
Cover and leave at room temperature to rise. It could take anywhere from a minimum of 3 to 4 hours, to a maximum of 6 to 8 hours. Watch the dough, not the time. It should rise significantly.
-
When ready to bake, turn the dough over to a well-floured surface.
-
Then give it a few folds by hand. The dough will be sticky at first but will quickly become nice and manageable.
-
Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
-
Separate the dough into 8 to 10 pieces. Keep pieces you are not working on covered.
-
Roll each piece into a rope (18 to 24 inches long) and shape into a pretzel.
-
Place onto the baking sheet. Let rest 20 to 30 minutes.
-
Bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cup baking soda to a rolling boil.
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Place pretzels into the boiling water (2 at a time) for 30 seconds on each side, then transfer back to the baking sheet using a spatula.
-
Sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cinnamon sugar.
-
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until deep golden.
Recipe Notes
*Use all-purpose einkorn or all-purpose spelt in this recipe. All-purpose spelt makes the best pretzels, in my opinion. They rise more and are much softer than all-purpose einkorn.
*Whole ground einkorn is too hard to work with, although doable if you are an experienced baker.
*Whole ground spelt flour works pretty well, but it does make pretzels that are more dense and quite dark.