Sep 6, 2014
Once each month we throw open our doors for some FREE wine or beer tastings and paired appetizers. It’s all in connection with Downtown Overland Park’s 3rd Friday Local Life events. and it’s loads of FREE fun. Area businesses each plan a unique event and give away FREE stuff or feature FREE performances, etc. (Have I said that these events are FREE!)
Anyway, last month we sampled our own Manhattan, KS based Tallgrass Brewing Company beers with some amazing handmade soft pretzels. Our Exec. Chef Gary Hild demonstrated how easy it is to make them. We had to fend off the hoards with our large whisks because folks were grabbing these by the handfuls. (Not really….we wouldn’t hit our peeps with kitchen utensils … but we did have several who helped themselves over and over!)
Seriously folks, these are the best soft pretzels you’ll ever make! And they are as easy as poppin’ the tab on a good craft beer. Of course I have to share the recipe so here you go.
Make ’em and send me a picture of you eating them. (cook@kcculinary.com) I’ll enter your name in a drawing for some free Tallgrass Brewing company beer. Do it. Happy Cooking!
BEER-LOVIN’ SOFT PRETZELS
- 1 cup milk
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 3 T. brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 T. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 T.salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup baking soda
- 2 Tbs. Kosher salt
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Warm the milk in a sauce pan over medium heat. Pour into a bowl and add the yeast. Let sit for two minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir gently. Add one cup of flour and the 2 T. soft butter. Next add the remaining 1 and 1/4 cup of flour.
Knead the dough on a board for a few minutes. Place in a bowl, cover and let rise.
Punch the dough down and transfer to a board. Roll the dough into a rope shape. Cut the dough into small nuggets. Dissolve the baking soda into 3 cups of warm water. Brush the nuggets with the soda solution.
Bake in the oven until golden about 10-12 minutes. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve with Mustard Dipping Sauce (recipe below).
MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- 6 T. brown sugar
- 1 t. cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.