Here is summer/July 4th recipe that would be fun for the kids to give a helping hand. Evan is starting to get really interested in what I am doing in the kitchen, aside from his main job of emptying any cabinet within reach, and loved watching me make these Pretzel Dogs. Hot dogs (or bratwurst, I used knackwurst) are wrapped in a pretzel dough, boiled, topped with melted butter and salt, then baked. Serve them with mustard, ketchup, and fries. The pretzel dough has only 1 rise and is fairly easy to handle.
I used knackwurst for the hot dogs, which are a little larger, so I divided the dough into 8 pieces. If you are using smaller hot dogs, divide the dough into 10 pieces. Make sure to seal the ends to prevent unraveling while the pretzel dogs are boiling.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
8-10 hot dogs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Coarse salt
In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a dough blade or a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Let sit for a minute before stirring to combine. Let sit until frothy, 5-10 minutes. Stir in, or process, the flour, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup butter until a dough forms.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease. Add 10 cups water and baking soda to a large pot and bring to a boil. On a lightly oiled surface, divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 24 inch long rope. Wrap the dough around the hot dog, pinching to seal the ends. Repeat with remaining pieces.
Place prepared pretzel dogs in boiling water, 2 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Let cool on wire rack 5 minutes before serving.
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
https://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/pretzel-dogs/
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
3 July, 2013 at 1:55 pmThanks for the recipe, I love pretzel dogs!
Tara says
5 July, 2013 at 8:01 pmI hope you enjoy them!