Making Whoopie-Pretzel Roll Style

I have been working at making a decent bread product for nigh on 3 years now.  Most of these little escapades have ended in complete and total failure. Looking back at my little baked product journey I find that the fault of my mishaps can be laid squarely on my own two shoulders.  Ready for a self-truth?  I am not so patient.

I would continually harass my rising dough.  My dough probably felt about me  the same way I feel when on an 8 hour drive with my kids.  I was constantly peeking in saying, "Are you done yet?  No?  How about now?"  This lady can be so annoying sometimes.  And this method of constant checking often led to risings being cut short and then disaster.

The other issue with my bread making was that I didn't actually know what kind of yeast I was working with.  I have been buying from bulk bins for years without taking a second to read the two words prior to the word yeast, words which read, instant rise.  This little tidbit of information may have saved me from eating so many craptastic loaves of bread (which in a way I do not regret as even sad home baked bread kicks the store bought product squarely in the boot).

But lately the tables have turned for me.  Not only do I not have the time to harange my rising dough (me thinks having three kids has something do with this), but I am also well acquainted with all of my ingredients.  Already this new relationship of mutual respect has taken me to amazing bread places. The first major success were cinnamon rolls.  The dough was heaven to work with and the rolls themselves were light, fluffy, and gooey in all the right places. 

But then I got too cocky (it takes a special kind of someone to get cocky after one baking triumph, unfortunately I am that kind of special).  After having what can only be described as a spiritual moment while eating a Pretzel Roll, which came from Costco, I decided to come home and make my own.  I quickly found a recipe on Pinterest (wonderful, beautiful Pinterest) and was undeterred by the terrifying idea of simmering unbaked dough.  I immediately whipped them up, baked them and then was sorely disappointed when they were nothing like the Costco version. 

Now this is where things start to get crazy up in here. I had an epiphany.  I was going to make a new and improved Pretzel Roll baby by adding a few ingredients from my beloved cinnamon roll recipe.  I know right now you are thinking, "Sista, I don't even know you and I can already tell that you should not be messing around with baking recipes."  But this is where the cockiness starts working in my favor.  Again, I grabbed my sweet kitchen aid by the hand and together we made our way into this area of terror and delight.  And I promise you my friend that the result was rewarding.

Here they are:

TA DA!!!!! Firework explosions in the sky, the universe does the happy dance. They were the perfect union of cinnamon and pretzel roll (obviously favoring their father in outward appearance, mama comes through on the inside).   The best part is that I, for once, actually took notes as I altered and mixed.  Me.  This girl.  I paid attention to what I was doing for the first time.  We are growing by leaps and bounds over here.  Deep sigh of approval, small pats on my back.

Here is the recipe that I came up with:

Preztel Rolls

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water (110 degrees F)
2 1/4 tsp. instant rise yeast
2 tsp. sugar
5 1/2 cups flour divided
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 T buttermilk
2 egg yolks
4 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cups baking soda
1 whole egg lightly beaten
Pretzel salt for sprinkling

In the bowl of your stand mixer (fitted with the dough hook attachment), add the water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let rest 5-10 minutes until foamy.

Add 5 cups of the flour, salt, egg yolks, buttermilk and melted butter and mix using the dough hook until combined well. Use the reserved 1/2 cup of flour if your dough is too sticky by adding a couple of tablespoons at a time until you have a soft, non-tacky dough.Cover with a plastic wrap (or a towel) and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and turn it onto a lightly floured clean surface.

Line 1 large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. To shape the dough "take a piece of dough and start forming a round, smooth ball by pulling the sides to the center and pinching to seal. Place, pinched side down, on a counter and lightly cupping your hand around the dough ball, rotate your hand in small circles lightly rolling the ball around the palm of your hand."

Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet pinched seam side down, with at least 1” between each roll. Cover with a towel and allow to rise while you work on the next step (my second rise was probably only 15-20 minutes and wasn't hugely noticeable).

Preheat oven to 425°F and place oven rack in the middle position. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a low boil. Remove from heat and slowly add the baking soda then place back on heat and lower to a simmer.

Place 2-3 of the rolls at a time into the poaching liquid, seam side down. Poach for 30 seconds and then carefully turn the roll over and poach for another 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same prepared sheet pan, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

Using a pastry brush, brush each roll with the beaten egg, making sure to coat all sides completely & then sprinkle each roll with a little pretzel salt. Using a sharp straight edged knife, cut 2 slashes-or- an “X” shape in the top of each roll. Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot!

Adapted from: My Life as a Mrs.