Pretzel Dogs

I love sausages but due to health concerns I always refrain myself from buying them. Processed food isn't at the top of my food choice, well, at least most of the time. However, whenever I see those mini pretzel dogs from Auntie Annie's, that is the time I let my guards off and... succumb to the temptation. After all, those are tiny, and they can be shared.

The distinctive aroma of pretzel while they are baking is both enticing and irresistible. It made it almost impossible not to grab one or two while you are pulling them out of oven. When freshly baked, they are a little bit crunchy, and a little bit chewy, but still retain a fluffy texture. Pretzel is something best eat warm and fresh. It doesn't keep well as it will get hard and dry. However, with the smell and taste so good, I bet it will be gobbled up in a blink of an eye.

*Blink

See... they are gone!

Pretzel Dogs
Make 6 standard size pretzel dogs / 18 mini pretzel dogs

Ingredients

Dough

5.5 oz water
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp instant yeast
280g all purpose flour
27g butter, unsalted

Baking soda solution

2 cups water
2 tbsp baking soda

Egg wash

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water

Others

1 tbsp butter, melted
6 sausages, each cut into 3

Cooking Directions

Mix the ingredients for dough together, knead well.
Let the dough proof for one hour or until double in size.
In a pot, boil 2 cups of water, add baking soda, set aside.
Prepare the egg wash by mixing one yolk with one tbsp of water.
Divide the dough to 18 portions.
Roll each portion of dough long, wrap the dough around the sausage and tuck the end in.
While the soda water still boiling hot, gently put the pretzel dog in the water. Let it stand for 30 seconds and then remove it from water with a fork. Place the pretzel dog on a baking sheet. Reheat the water if it has cooled down.
Brush pretzel dog with egg wash.
Bake in preheated oven at 220C for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush melted butter over pretzel dog while still hot.