Do you remember when bread machines were all the rage? I do. Back in the 1990s, I bought a cheap, no frills bread machine. I loved it so much that I made bread about every other day for my kids school lunches. I never acquired that knack of making homemade bread from scratch, so the bread machine did all the work, and I looked like a great cook. One day, I picked my kids up from school and they asked if they could have the skinny, good bread like the other kids. Imagine that! So, I complied and the bread machine gathered dust. Until last week. I dug the machine out, washed it off and turned it on. A little bread flour, milk, butter, yeast and soon the house filled with the aroma of fresh baked bread. My now grown children flocked to the kitchen, grabbed butter out of the frig and devoured the warm loaf of bread.
This recipe is versatile. You can make traditional pretzels or shape the dough in rolls. The rolls are great with grilled brats or chicken salad. Today, I shaped the rolls in a round sandwich roll and filled it with a homemade chicken salad.
Bread Machine Pretzels
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1egg white, slightly beaten
coarse salt
Place all ingredients, except salt and egg white, in bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle and press start. After the machine has completed the cycle remove the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 parts. Shape each part into a round roll. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise, uncovered, until puffy, about 20 minutes. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine 2 quarts of water and 1/3 cup baking soda; bring to a boil. Lower 1 into the saucepan; simmer for 20 seconds on each side. Lift from water with a slotted spoon. Return to greased cookie sheet. Let dry briefly. Brush with 1 egg white slightly beaten. Sprinkle with course salt or sesame seeds or leave plain. Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes; then turn cookie sheet around and bake 6 more minutes.
This makes 4 large rolls.
For pretzels:
Divide into 4 parts. Divide each fourth into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into an 18-inch rope. Shape rope into a circle, overlapping about 4 inches; from each end, leaving ends free. Take one end in each hand and twist at the point where dough overlaps. Carefully lift ends across to the opposite edge of circle. Tuck ends under edge to make a pretzel shape; moisten and press ends to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise, uncovered, until puffy, about 20 minutes. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine 2 quarts of water and 1/3 cup baking soda; bring to a boil. Lower 1 or 2 pretzels into the saucepan; simmer for 10 seconds on each side. Lift from water with a slotted spoon. Return to greased cookie sheet. Let dry briefly. Brush with 1 egg white slightly beaten. Sprinkle with course salt or sesame seeds or leave plain. If you leave them plain, after they bake dip into melted butter then in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake at 425°F for 4 minutes; then turn cookie sheet around and bake 4 more minutes.
