Recipe
October 14, 2015
Ask A Chef: Soft Pretzel Sticks
Chef Fraser Macfarlane of Brux House shares his soft pretzel sticks recipe.
Q: I recently visited Brux House in Hamilton, Ont., where I tried their delicious House Made Soft Pretzel Sticks. I’d love the recipe! Carey, Hamilton, Ont.
A: These addictive snacks are a cross between a pretzel and a breadstick. They’re poached in a mixture of water and baking soda, which gives them a dark exterior with the soft texture of bread inside.
Directions
Yield: Makes 24 Sticks
- Stir sugar into warm water until dissolved. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in vegetable oil and 3 cups flour. Knead in remaining flour until it’s absorbed and dough is elastic, about 10 minutes. Or knead in a stand mixer on medium speed, scraping down twice, until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 4 or 5 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky. On floured board, knead dough until shiny and smooth, adding more flour as needed. Transfer to large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line sheet pans with parchment paper. Punch down dough and turn out onto floured work surface. Knead dough, flatten it and cut into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8″-long stick about 1⁄2″ thick. Lay sticks on sheet pans 2″ apart and let stand about 25 minutes to puff up. Freeze for 1 hour.
- In wide, shallow stock pot, stir baking soda into 8 L water and bring to simmer. Working in batches, poach sticks in water for 30 seconds, topping up pot with hot water as needed. Drain sticks on kitchen towel and return to sheet pans.
- Brush sticks with egg wash, sprinkle with generous amount of Maldon sea salt and bake about 10 minutes at 450°F, or until dark and cooked through.