Pretzel Bites
Sensory Objectives
WORKING WITH THE DOUGH IS THE BIGGEST OBJECTIVE WITH THIS RECIPE. YOU HAVE TO ROLL IT INTO ROPES. ALSO, THE SMELL OF YEAST IS STRONG AND IT CHANGES WHEN MIXED WITH WATER, FROM GRANULES TO FOAM.
Speech Objectives
HAVE YOU EVER HAD PRETZEL BITES? WHERE? BALLGAME? MALL? AREN’T PRETZELS USUALLY CRUNCHY?
Ingredients
1 1/2 C WARM WATER (100-108 DEGREES)
1 ENVELOPE ACTIVE DRY YEAST
34-5 C BREAD FLOUR
2 TSP KOSHER SALT
2 TBSP BROWN SUGAR, TIGHTLY PACKED
4 TBSP SOFT BUTTER, UNSALTED
Oil for Bowl
3 1/2 quarts water
⅓ cup baking soda (do not put in dough!)
Egg wash (1 egg yolk beaten with 1T water)Sea Salt for Topping
Butter and Cinnamon Sugar for Covering
(1tsp Cinnamon and 1 Tbsp Sugar, combined)
Instructions
IN GLASS OR METAL MIXING BOWL, ADD YEAST TO WARM WATER., ADD BUTTER. LET IT SIT UNTIL FOAMY, ABOUT 10 MINUTES. IF IT DOESN’T FOAM, START AGAIN WITH NEW YEAST AND WATER. IT WILL NOT RISE IF YOU DON’T GET THE FOAM AT THE BEGINNING. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE TO KILL THE YEAST IF WATER IS TOO HOT AND THEN THE DOUGH WILL NOT WORK.
IN A SECOND BOWL, MIX BREAD FLOUR, SALT, AND BROWN SUGAR ADD FLOUR MIXTURE AND BUTTER TO THE YEAST AND WATER. IF YOU HAVE A MIXER THAT CAN HANDLE DOUGH, TURN MIXER ON LOW TO BLEND. THEN WITH A DOUGH HOOK, KNEAD ON MEDIUM UNTIL THE DOUGH COMES TOGETHER ON THE HOOK AND THE SIDES OF THE BOWL ARE CLEAN. IF THE DOUGH REMAINS STICKY, ADD FLOUR ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON AT A TIME AND KNEAD. WHEN DOUGH IS SMOOTH, PLACE IT IN AN OILED GLASS BOWL, ROLL THE DOUGH AROUND IN THE BOWL TO BE SURE THE WHOLE BALL IS COVERED WITH OIL, AND COVER WITH A CLEAN FLOUR SACK TOWEL. LET IT RISE UNTIL IT IS APPROX. DOUBLE IN SIZE, 2-3 HOURS.
WHEN THE DOUGH IS DOUBLED IN SIZE, PUNCH IT DOWN (IT WILL SORT OF LOOK DEFLATED). DIVIDE INTO FOUR EQUAL PARTS AND ROLL EACH PART INTO A ROPE. THE ROPES SHOULD BE ABOUT 12 INCHES LONG, CUT INTO 21-2 INCH CHUNKS. LINE BAKING TRAYS WITH PARCHMENT OR SILICONE MATS.MOVE ONE RACK TO THE LOWEST SPACE IN THE OVEN AND THE OTHER TO THE SECOND SPACE FROM THE TOP. PREHEAT OVEN TO 450 DEGREESBRING WATER TO A BOIL ADD BAKING SODA. ONCE BOILING, ADD ABOUT 12 BITES AND COOK FOR 30 SECONDS; THEY WILL RISE TO THE TOP. THEN REMOVE WITH A SLOTTED SPOON AND SPRINKLE BOTH SIDES LIGHTLY WITH KOSHER SALT. CONTINUE UNTIL ALL BITES ARE BOILED AND SALTED.
WHEN THE FIRST TRAY IS BOILED AND SALTED, PLACE IT ON THE BOTTOM RACK AND COOK FOR 4 MIN. THEN TURN THE TRAY BACK TO FRONT AND PLACE IT IN THE TOP THIRD OF THE OVEN. AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN ADD A SECOND TRAY TO THE BOTTOM SHELF. COOK FOR ANOTHER 4 MIN, THEN WATCH CLOSELY, AS THEY WILL BROWN MORE QUICKLY AT THE END.WHEN PRETZELS ARE BROWN, REMOVE THEM FROM OVEN AND PLACE ON A WIRE RACK TO COOL.
