German Soft Pretzel Corners – Laugenecken Recipe

EQUIPMENT

Standing mixer with a dough hook
Pastry cutter/scraper or a knife
Rolling pin
Slotted spoon/turner
Parchment paper
baking sheet

INGREDIENTS

For the dough
▢2 teaspoons dry yeast
▢1 teaspoon sugar
▢1 cup lukewarm water
▢4 cups all-purpose flour
▢1 teaspoon table salt
▢8 tablespoon softened butter
▢Coarse salt
For the lye bath
▢¼ cup baking soda
▢8 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl of your standing mixer (or a large bowl), with a whisk or a fork, stir together 2 teaspoons of yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 cup of water until yeast and sugar have dissolved completely.
Add 4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon soft butter. With a dough hook attachment (or your hands), knead the dough until a smooth and elastic ball forms. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to a clean surface, punch it down, and, with your hands, knead for a minute. Using a knife or a pastry cutter/scraper, slice the dough into eight equal pieces as you would cut a pie (cut first in half, then into quarters and finally into eighths). Form each part into a small ball. With a rolling pin, roll out each ball into a circle (around 8-in in diameter).
Spread 1 tablespoon each of the soft butter onto seven circles, leaving the eight unbuttered. Stack dough circles, buttered side up, on top of each other with the last circle being the one without the butter. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large pot, bring ¼ cup baking soda and 8 cups of water to a simmer.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove dough from the refrigerator. Slice again into eight wedges. Working in batches, carefully submerge the corners into the simmering lye bath and allow floating for about 20 seconds, turning over once. With a slotted turner/spatula, gently transfer dough corners to drain then place onto the prepared baking sheet with a little space between them.
Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake for about 20 minutes or until a rich brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. Enjoy!