I love to bake, and I love bread. Making homemade bread might seem daunting, but it's easier than you think. It's almost magical to me, being able to take a few simple ingredients, watching them come together, rise, and bake into something that's so much more than the sum of its parts. Pretzel bread is one of my favorites. What sets pretzel bread apart? It's the baking soda bath that gives it its unique texture and flavor – a step that's unusual but utterly rewarding. The result is a crust that's a perfect blend of chewy and crisp, encasing a soft, airy center that's irresistible.
You could also shape the dough into traditional soft pretzels or individual rolls. But with Thanksgiving coming up I thought, "why knot" add a festive twist and make it in the shape of a turkey instead?
Ingredients:
For the Pretzel Bread:
- 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups bread flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 oz softened butter
- 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 quarts water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
Instructions:
For the Pretzel Bread:
- Put milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 45-60 seconds, until milk is warm and butter begins to melt
- Put milk mixture into bowl of stand mixer along with brown sugar and stir to dissolve
- Sprinkle with yeast and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes while yeast blooms
- Add flour and knead the dough ingredients by hand or mixer to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough, about 5 minutes
- Form in a tight ball. To make the turkey shape, at this point I made the cuts to form the wings and drumsticks (see pictures)
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with cling wrap or damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil and slowly add the baking soda. This is where your loaf gets its bath. Wait until bubbling subsides and carefully lower loaf into the solution.
- Boil for 1 minute then gently flip and boil an additional minute.
- Transfer boiled bread to a prepared baking sheet
- In a small bowl, whisk egg and 1 tsp of water. Brush entire surface with whisked egg.
- Sprinkle the boiled pretzel bread with coarse salt and use additional dough scraps to create the turkey's legs and wings.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown
Assembly:
Once the pretzel bread has cooled slightly, arrange flavored butter leaves around the turkey for a festive accent. Use simple compound butters and add the flavoring of your choice. I used garlic herb and cinnamon honey flavors. Shape them using a chocolate mold and refrigerate until firm. There's a certain magic that happens when warm, soft pretzel bread meets an array of deliciously flavored butters. Serve your turkey-shaped pretzel bread with the fall-flavored butter leaves on a platter as a delightful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.
