I had lots of ideas float around in my head on what to illustrate: gnarly tree trunks, braided hair, a forest path, leafy vines etc. In the end I went with a favorite snack - warm, soft pretzels (with plenty of mustard, thank you)
Pretzels have quite a history actually, dating back to the Early Middle Ages. There are numerous accounts on the origin of pretzels, as well as the origin of the name; most agree that they have Christian backgrounds and were invented by German monks. Read more about pretzels here....
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Anyhow, I'm totally going to make these sometime soon after getting a craving for them doing this illo :> Here's the recipe I'll be using, it looks a bit complicated but it's quite simple to prepare:
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Philadelphia-Style Soft Pretzels4 cups (600 g) all purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
1 package active dry yeast
1.5 teaspoons salt
kosher salt for sprinkling
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
3/4 cup (180 ml)water
oil for greasing bowl
2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 1 cup water
1 cup (115 g) melted butter
In a food processor pulse together the flour, yeast and salt to mix, then add the honey and milk. Slowly add the water until a soft ball forms, pulsing for about one minute. Continue to mix the dough for 3 more minutes, then turn onto a floured surface and knead by hand until dough is smooth and elastic (about 2 more minutes).
Form into a ball and set in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (approx.an hour). Keep dough bowl covered while you work, break off a walnut sized piece, and roll into a long rope 16-18 inches long. Use illustration as a guide to form a pretzel shape and set on baking parchment lined cookie sheet or a lightly greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
When all the pretzels are shaped, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), and brush each pretzel lightly on top with baking soda mixture.
Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes.As soon as the pretzels come out of the oven brush them with melted butter, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Best when served warm and dipped in your favorite mustard.
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Enjoy some pretzels and have a great week!
2 comments:
perfect.
Great topic to illustrate and thanks for including the recipe!
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