Happy New Year! Happy to have 2020 in the rear view mirror and I am hopeful that 2021 may be somewhat better. Here is this year’s Rendition of my annual Neujahrs Brezel (New Year’s Pretzel). A I have explained in the past years, in parts of Germany, it is traditional to bake these large, sweet (that’s not salt, that’s pearl sugar) pretzels. Like in some other places (France, Spain, etc), traditionally a coin or trinket is baked into the treat and whoever find it, has good luck for the coming year. In order not to have dental bills in the coming year (and seeing I am solo), I skipped the hidden coin, but I did “stuff” the inside with cinnamon-paste, so it’s actually a gigantic cinnamon roll masquerading as a pretzel. What’s not to love, right?
Ingredients
For the dough
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups milk, heated to between 100 – 110F
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling
6 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks), softened to room temperature
pinch of salt
pearl sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
before it hits the oven
1 egg
few tablespoons milk or cream
pearl sugar (optional)
You will also need: a pastry brush for the egg wash
Directions
In the work bowl of your stand mixer, add two cups of the flour, and sprinkle over 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the yeast. Melt the butter and heat the milk until it is just warm to the touch, between 100 and 110F. Mix the butter and the milk into the dry ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes to let the yeast activate. Then add in the remaining sugar, flour, cardamom and salt. Using the dough hook, combine until the dough is well combined and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Kneed by hand until the dough forms a ball. Cover the dough and allow it to rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.
In the meantime, allow the butter for the filling to softened and work the sugar, almond extract and cinnamon into the butter to form a paste.
Preheat oven to 425F. Line a cookie sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
Once the dough has risen, out lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick … well, it’s not really a rectangle. it’s thin at one end, wide through the middle and thin at the end again. Sort of like lips. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough (though the bulk will be in the middle) and roll it up jellyroll style. The ends should be tapered and the middle sort of big. Form the pretzel and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes.
Beat the egg with the milk to create an egg wash and brush all over your giant pretzel. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into it. Serve warm or at room temperature.
