How A Soft Pretzel Is Made
There are many companies who state that they can make you the best soft pretzels around; with so many companies all stating that they have the best product around it can get confusing to know which to choose from. All pretzel companies will follow the same sort of process in order to make the best soft pretzels, regardless of how different they wish to appear to the consumer; this process will include picking out the right ingredients, forming the pretzel, salting and dipping the pretzels properly and then beginning the cooking process.
Ingredients Needed
The first thing that needs to be determined in developing the Best Soft Pretzels is to pick out the best ingredients to use. All soft pretzels will need flour, yeast, leavening agents, shortening and other ingredients as needed. All of these are important to the making of a perfect pretzel and it is important to follow the recipe given in order to properly make and bake the product.
Forming A Pretzel
Once all of the ingredients are mixed together properly, it is time to form the pretzel into its familiar shape. Before the use of machines the shape was formed by rolling out the door and manually twisting it into the shape that has become familiar with pretzels. Most companies do not have the time to mass produce their pretzels by hand and will instead use a machine, which will cut out or stamp the shape of a pretzel into the dough and then recycle the leftover dough.
Salting and Dipping
Once the pretzel has been formed and right before the cooking process, the pretzels will be dipped and salted. This process includes dipping the pretzel into a mixture for around 10 to 20 seconds in order to provide a type of stickiness to the dough before applying the salt. Companies will have a system in place to ensure that the correct amount of salt is applied to the dough in order to guarantee uniformity in all their products.
Cooking Process
Finally, it is time for the cooking process to begin; if you are cooking the best soft pretzels at your own home you will be able to just throw the dough into an oven and cook them for the specified amount of time stated in the recipe. Companies will have specialized ovens and machines available, which will start the cooking process to the right temperatures and take care of all the guessing for them. It is a good idea to start backing the pretzel at a low temperature before increasing the heats in order to avoid cracking and breaking of the pretzel in the heating process. This process will always contribute to reducing the moisture content in the pretzel and help the longevity of the product.