erve them plain like in the olden days, rolled in almonds, savoury parmesan cheese or even cinnamon sugar, there are so many possibilities with this famous snack! All from one basic dough!

Makes 8

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon instant yeast

3 tablespoons warm water

Dough:

250g high protein flour, sifted

250g plain flour, sifted

2 teaspoons bread improver/softener

1 tablespoon milk powder

30g brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

220-250ml water

Soda mixture:

500ml water

2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon salt

Toppings:

100g almond nibs, grounded coarsely

100g castor sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder [optional]

100g parmesan cheese + 2 teaspoons parsley

100g extra castor sugar for rolling

Extra 100g melted butter for brushing

Method:

1. Mix soda, water and salt in a plate large enough to dip the pretzel in, set aside.

2. Place the almonds, parmesan cheese and cinnamon sugar into 3 different plates, set aside.

To prepare pretzel dough:

1. In a bowl, combine sugar and warm water with the instant yeast and set aside. Let the yeast froth up (takes about 10 -15 minutes, if it does not froth, discard and start again).

2. Using an electric beater fitted with a dough hook, beat all dough ingredients together with the frothed yeast mixture, adding water gradually till smooth and elastic (about 10 – 15 minutes).

3. Rest dough covered with a cloth for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.

4. Punch down dough, divide into 80g portions.

5. Start by shaping the lump of dough into a cigar and then use the palms of your hands to roll it back and forth against the counter. Work from the middle of the dough and gently press outward as you roll to lengthen the rope.

6. Roll the rope of dough as long as you can—at least 65-70cm or even a bit more because the dough has a tendency to shrink back. It helps to roll it out halfway, let it rest for a few minutes, and then continue to roll it again.

7. Next, take either end of the rope in your finger tips and draw them together so the dough forms a circle.

8. Twist the ends of the rope together once or twice.

9. Then bring the twisted end toward yourself and fold it down onto the bottom curve. Use a bit of water or milk to wet the ends and make them stick them onto the dough.

10. Dip pretzel into the soda solution then place on a tea towel to absorb the excess soda solution.

11. Press pretzel into almonds or leave it plain and place onto a greased tray. Bake in pre-heated oven at 220ْC for 10 minutes or till lightly browned.

12. While still hot, brush with melted butter, and roll the plain pretzels into parmesan cheese mixture or cinnamon sugar, serve them pretzels.

13. For the almond pretzels, after brushing with melted butter, either roll them into castor sugar for a sweet almond pretzel or leave it plain with almonds only.