Soft Pretzels - Laugenbrezel (German Style Soft Pretzels)

For this month's We Knead to Bake, Aparna chose these delicious and very soft pretzels which are German Cuisine. Laugenbrezel are German Style Soft Pretzels and were so good and felt perfect... I was proud making these... I have used little bread flour to get a chewy texture and also my all purpose flour was over:). I used yellow coarse cornmeal to the baking tray. Make sure you do not skimp or else the pretzels will stick!! I have used a variety of toppings, you could use what you like or what you find.. I have tried to give a pictorial of the method of shaping the pretzels. They were soft and chewy and best served warm with cream cheese. To serve the next day, just warm up in the microwave for 15 seconds and serve!!

Ingredients:
Instant Yeast or Rapid Rise Yeast - 2 1/4 teaspoon
Sugar - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Warm milk - 1 cup
All Purpose Flour - 2 cups
Bread Flour - 3/4 cup - 1 cup
Salt - 1 1/4 teaspoons
Water - 6 cups
Baking soda - 2 table spoons
Coarse Cornmeal or Coarse semolina - 2 table spoons
Milk - to give milk wash
Poppy Seeds (white) - 1 table spoon
Poppy Seeds (black) - 1 table spoon
Kalonji / Onion Seeds - 1 tea spoon
Dried Mint Leaves - 1 tea spoon
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tea spoon

Method:
To the mixing bowl, add warm milk and dissolve the yeast and sugar allow it to proof for about 5 minutes or until frothy. Please keep it covered.
Add the 2 cups all purpose flour and 3/4 cup of bread flour with salt to the proofed yeast and stir until a soft dough forms. Run the mixer on and knead until smooth and elastic. The dough will feel slightly sticky, so add a bit of flour as and when necessary. This should take about 4 - 6 minutes.
Make the dough into a ball and place in a large greased bowl, turning to coat the dough with oil. Cover and allow the dough to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

Deflate the dough, make a log of 12 inches and cover and let it rest 5 minutes. Divide dough into 12 equal portions. It is a good idea to make a log and cut them in equal size.
To shape the pretzel - Take one portion at a time and cover remaining dough to prevent it drying. Roll each portion into an 18-inch-long rope with tapered ends. Make a plait like with one end of rope over the other to form a circle at top, leaving about 4 inches at end of each rope. Twist the rope at the base of the circle. Fold the ends over the circle and into a traditional pretzel shape, pinching gently to seal.
Place pretzels on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise 10 minutes (pretzels will rise only slightly).
Put the 6 cups of water and baking soda in a non-aluminum pan and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat and simmer. Gently lower a pretzel into the simmering water. Cook on each side for about 15 seconds. The pretzel will swell/ puff up a bit. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a greased wire rack. This will prevent the pretzel from sticking to the rack. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
Place the pretzels on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Brush with milk and sprinkle with toppings of choice.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C and Bake for 9 - 12 minutes or until pretzels are deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Serve warm with a dip of your choice or just plain. They’re best eaten fresh, and on the same day. This recipe makes 12 Pretzels.

Sending this to Aparna's We Knead to Bake # 8 and Linking to Bake Fest #22 hosted by Manjula