Bavarian Soft Pretzels (Poolish Method)

Deep-brown, glossy soft pretzels made with a preferment for better flavor and chew. Finished with a baked–baking-soda dip for a true pretzel crust without lye.

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Make the Poolish (Day Before or Same Day)

Whisk together:

• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp high-protein all-purpose flour (or bread flour)

• ¼ tsp instant yeast

Mix in:

• ⅓ cup room-temperature water

Cover tightly and let sit at warm room temperature until bubbly and expanded by about half, 3–4 hours. Refrigerate 8–24 hours.

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Make the Dough

Stir into poolish:

• ⅓ cup + 2 tsp warm water (about 90°F)

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Whisk together:

• 1¾ cups high-protein all-purpose flour (or bread flour)

• 1 heaping tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use ½ tsp if table salt)

Mix & rest:
Add flour mixture to poolish. Knead by hand just until shaggy. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Brief knead:
With slightly damp hands, knead 15–30 seconds until uniform. Cover and let rise until puffy and expanded by about half, 60–90 minutes.

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Shape the Pretzels

Prep pan:
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat; lightly spray.

Divide & pre-shape:
Divide dough into 6 pieces (about 3 oz each). Roll each into a short log, sealing the seam but leaving ends open. Cover and rest.

Roll ropes:
On an unfloured counter, roll each log into a 24-inch rope, tapering the last 6 inches at each end. Let rest briefly if dough springs back.

Form pretzels:
Shape into a U, cross ends twice, fold back over the curve, adjust to form three even openings, and seal tips. Transfer to pan.

Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

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Baked Baking Soda Dip & Bake

Bake the baking soda (do ahead):

• Spread ½ cup baking soda on a parchment-lined baking sheet

• Bake at 300–350°F for 1 hour

• Cool completely and store airtight

Heat oven:
400°F.

Prepare dip:

• 8 cups water

• ¼ cup baked baking soda

Bring water to a gentle boil, add baked baking soda, and reduce to a simmer.

Dip:
Submerge each pretzel bottom-side up 30–40 seconds. Drain well and return to baking sheet face up.

Top & bake:
Sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake 12–14 minutes until deep brown.

Finish:
Mist lightly with water and return to oven 30 seconds for shine. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Notes

• High-protein flour matters. King Arthur AP works; standard grocery AP usually doesn’t.

• Baking the baking soda increases alkalinity and is critical for proper color and flavor.

• Pretzel salt is ideal, but coarse kosher salt works.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner, 1958)

Soft peanut-butter cookies rolled in sugar and topped with a milk-chocolate kiss.

Heat oven:
375°F / 190°C. (Leave cookie sheets ungreased.)

Cream together:

• ½ cup shortening

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter

• ½ cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)

• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

Blend in:

• 1 large egg

• 2 Tbsp milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose (or unbleached) flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

Mix:
Gradually beat dry ingredients into the peanut-butter mixture.

Form cookies:
Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place about 2 in / 5 cm apart on ungreased sheets.

Bake:
8–10 minutes, just until tops begin to crack.

Finish:
Immediately press a milk-chocolate kiss into the center of each hot cookie (the cookie will “flower” around it). Cool 2 minutes on the pan, then move to racks.

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies.

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Peppermint Stick Crisps (1952)

This recipe was in Better Homes magazine in 1952

Cream together:

• ½ cup Butter Crisco

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

Sift together:

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Mix:
Add dry ingredients alternately with 2 Tbsp milk. Chill dough.

Form cookies:
Drop very small teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined sheets. Flatten with a floured glass and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Bake:
350°F for 8 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from pan immediately.

Tip: Parchment paper helps prevent sticking.

Buy the smaller green, red, white canes in the loose package to help unwrapping.  

Pickle Rolls (Minnesota Sushi)

A Jansen Family Christmas Eve tradition.  I have been making these since about 1979.

INGREDIENTS:
Pickles (long).  The three pickle taste test revealed that Vlasic was the crispest crispest pickle State Fair cuz number two was the store brand from the Cub and number three was the Minnesota gedney pickle. All right let's make

4 oz cream cheese
5 drops Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t horseradish
1t grated onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

12 slices thickly sliced Boar's Head Pastrami.  If at falcon heights Cub, no thicker than #3. 

PROCEDURE:
Mix all cream cheese and spices together.  Spread on pastrami slice.  Roll pickle up into the pastrami.  Chill.  Slice into 1/2" coins.  Serve. Enjoy.  Repeat. 

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Additional granulated sugar (I used Red and Green)

Suggest using at least that much PB since they can be dry.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each

cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 48 cookies..

Grandma Conrad's Christmas Cutouts

This recipe from Delia Shirmer Conrad dates back to the 1920s.  It has been a Jansen Family staple for generations.  The decorations on the cutouts become more creative and outrageous each year!

DOUGH:
1/2# butter
1C Sugar

Cream the above until fluffy.

3C flour
2t cream of tartar
1t baking soda
1/3 t salt

whisk the above together in separate bowl.  Add 2T of the whisk-mixed powder to the butter mixture, then beat in:

2 eggs
1t vanilla
2T milk

Blend in remainig flour mixture on lowest speed so it doesn't blow all over the kitchen.

Chill for 1 hour.  Roll-out with lots of flour on the cloth.  Make the cookies a bit thicker for kids decorating. 

Bake at 350F for approximately 8 minutes. 

ICING:
Whisk together powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency.  Thinner the better for kids especially.