Fox 13's Tamara Vaifanua joins Smith's Chef Jeff Jackson to make Soft Pumpkin Pretzels.
Soft Pumpkin Pretzels
Ingredients
4 to 4 ¼ c. AP flour Baking soda bath:
1 ½ c. warm water (100 to 107 degrees) ½ c. baking soda
1 packet active dry yeast, or 2 ¼ tsp. 9 c. boiling water
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cool
¼ c. pumpkin puree
Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the yeast. Let sit for about 3 minutes to bloom. Whisk in the salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin puree and melted butter. Using a wooden spoon, your hands, or a stand mixer with a dough hook, slowly add the flour 1 cup at a time, completely mixing in the flour before adding the next cup. After 3 cups, add the flour a little at a time just until the dough isn’t sticky anymore.
2. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with a towel. Let rest for about 10 minutes. While the dough is resting, bring the water and baking soda to a boil. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
3. Take the dough and separate into about 1/3 cup portions and take the portions and roll into ropes about 20 inches long. From ropes, form the pretzel by making it into a circle going away from you, twist the two ends together, then folding the twisted end toward you, connecting to the bottom of the circle. This step takes a few tries to get it right, but really isn’t too difficult. You can also make pumpkin shaped pretzels by making a circle then twisting the ends together at the top to make a stem.
4. Place each pretzel, 1 or 2 at a time, into the boiling baking soda water. Boil no more than 30 seconds. This step is necessary to provide that chewy interior with the smooth exterior we are used to with pretzels. Place the boiled pretzels onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Spritz with a little water and sprinkle on cinnamon-sugar.
Pumpkin Praline Sauce
Ingredients
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. whole milk
2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. pecans, chopped
Directions
1. In a saucepan over med-high heat, add the pecans and toss in the pan for about 1 minute just to lightly toast. Add the brown sugar, butter, and milk. Whisk until smooth and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Remove from the heat then add the pumpkin puree and powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool and use as a dip or drizzle for pumpkin pretzels.
