Quick Cinnamon Sugared Pretzel Bites

Soft dough pretzels are now very much available here in the UK and believe me we all love them! I especially craved them during my pregnancy and got my husband to drive a few miles at the time, to buy me a massive cinnamon sugar coated pretzel. I vividly remember sitting on a wooden bench in the shopping mall, munching away with sugar everywhere.
I wish now I had thought of making them at home but I guess that may have in turn got me too fat, then I was already (pregnancy related lol!)

It’s no surprise that my little boy too is hooked on them. Up to now he has only had the plain ones but yesterday the monkey got introduced to cinnamon sugar! “I love sugar!”, he kept saying…I wonder why? 😉

I decided to make pretzel bites, that way I didn’t feel the need to eat all of them. I was also really good as I shared a whole tub full with my youngest brother and his wife. He came to collect them especially and were thoroughly enjoyed from the message I later received from my sister-in-law. So pleased! Do give them a go plus the added benefit is that they are very quick to make and doesn’t follow the normal lengthy process of making pretzels.

Enjoy!
Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

4 cups strong white bread flour
1½ cup warm water
7g instant dried yeast
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
2/3 tbsp butter melted
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp olive oil

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 210°c

• Mix warm water and yeast into a bowl and let it activate for 3 minutes

• Slowly add the flour, salt and combine. Once the dough comes together, use olive oil on your hands and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Use a little more oil if the soft moist dough starts to stick

• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll on a clean floured surface into 4 ropes, 1 inch in diameter. Then with a sharp knife cut into 2cm pieces

• Lightly beat the egg and stir in the tablespoon of water for your egg wash. Dunk your pretzel dough bites completely in the egg wash and lay on a greased proof paper lined baking tray

• Bake for 8-10 minutes, meanwhile combine the sugar and ground cinnamon on a large plate

• As soon as they are baked and golden brown

Use a pastry brush to paint on the melted butter. Next dip them into the cinnamon sugar and coat well

Serve warm, if you fancy a caramel dipping sauce with the bites check this out ~
My caramel sauce

Chocolate salted pretzels

I know this is a ridiculously simple idea and everyone has done them before, but I was just silly excited as my little one helped make them for his baby brother’s birthday party.  I’ve restricted him from chocolate until now and this was his first experience with melted chocolate…boy did he have fun.  We had chocolate on the table, on the fridge on my cupboards! The cleaning wipes were following him around everywhere lol!

Salt and chocolate combination, can’t get any better.  I couldn’t find ready made ones so I made them instead!

INGREDIENTS

Medium bag of salted pretzels
150g plain chocolate
3 tbsp milk or more depending upon consistency
2 tsp golden syrup

METHOD

1. Melt chocolate in microwave on for 2 minutes on a medium heat, zap it a little more if needed.  But use the residual heat from the chocolate to let it melt naturally also.  Stir in the milk and golden syrup until nice and glossy

2.  Dip pretzels in the melted chocolate and lay on a plate with grease proof paper and set aside to cool, to speed up the process place in the fridge.  Once set, get munching!!!