For four prezels:

Ingredients

  • 200g flour
    • 80g bread flour (extra gluten)
    • 120g wheat flour (T55)
  • 6g baking malt
  • 4g salt
  • 12g butter
  • 4g shortning
  • 4g fresh yeast
  • 100ml cold water

Preparation

  • 5% soda lye (100g 50% concentrate for 1l of water)
  • preheat oven to 210°C

Preparation

  • mix all ingrediants in a bowl
  • knead for 8-10 min (stretch dough repeatedly)
  • let rest for 5 min
  • knead and stretch again for 1 min
  • let rest again for 2 min
  • divide dough into 4 portions at 80g each
  • shape prezels and place on a kitchen towel
  • cover with a plastic sheet and let dough proof for 35 min at a warm place
  • put in the freezer for 20min
  • dip prezels in lye for 5 sec
  • sprinkle with coarse grain salt
  • use a sharp and thin knife to make a cut along the thicker part of the prezels
  • bake at 210°C for 15 min

Notes

Many parameters can influence the final result. “the more the merrier” does not apply in many cases:

  • Too much water makes the dough too sticky. During and after proofing, the dough might then stick to the plastic wrap and/or the towel.
  • letting the dough proof for too long migth make prezels initially fluffy and light, but at the same times makes them loose curical stability. when then trying to handle them and drop them into the lye, they might be inadvertently damaged.
  • leaving them in the freezer for too long might make them too cold on the inside: they might then rise too slowly in the oven.