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Kaiser · 03-23-2010, 02:15 AM

I haven't done a side-by-side but the lye gives the prezels a nicer sheen and they possibly taste more authentic as well. I got my lye from an on-line store.

Kai

**TrickyDick** · 04-27-2013, 04:49 PM

Thanks TONS for maintaining the braukaiser page! I should donate one of these days.

I made the Brezels recipe. They're baking as I type! Can't wait to try them, maybe even with a homebrew! Also brewed your Helles recipe last weekend with a friend.
Do you know how long you can make ahead the brezels before baking? Can you make them and then freeze them (including all steps - lye bath, salt, slit) for later baking? I wish I had thought of this BEFORE I started typing and I couldve pulled one out. I suppose you could freeze after baking and reheat later. Its not a quickie recipe when lye is involved, but it is otherwise a pretty fast thing to make, even maybe on a weeknight.
Thanks again! I'll post a pic when they're done.

TD

**TrickyDick** · 04-27-2013, 09:36 PM

Pics

TD

**Bulls Beers** · 04-28-2013, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyDick

Thanks TONS for maintaining the braukaiser page! I should donate one of these days.

I made the Brezels recipe. They're baking as I type! Can't wait to try them, maybe even with a homebrew! Also brewed your Helles recipe last weekend with a friend.
Do you know how long you can make ahead the brezels before baking? Can you make them and then freeze them (including all steps - lye bath, salt, slit) for later baking? I wish I had thought of this BEFORE I started typing and I couldve pulled one out. I suppose you could freeze after baking and reheat later. Its not a quickie recipe when lye is involved, but it is otherwise a pretty fast thing to make, even maybe on a weeknight.
Thanks again! I'll post a pic when they're done.

TD

I freeze mine when I make Pretzels with no problem. Throw them in a toaster oven. Comes out great..

**TrickyDick** · 04-28-2013, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulls Beers

I freeze mine when I make Pretzels with no problem. Throw them in a toaster oven. Comes out great..

Freeze before or after baking?

TD

**Bulls Beers** · 04-28-2013, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyDick

Freeze before or after baking?

TD

After baking. let them cool first. I put them in a big zip lock bag, right in the freezer. Take them out as needed.

**TrickyDick** · 04-28-2013, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulls Beers

After baking. let them cool first. I put them in a big zip lock bag, right in the freezer. Take them out as needed.

Good to know. I only got 10 pretzels out of the recipe. Was thinking for the time, might be nice to get more. Have you tried doubling the recipe?

Also, the 20-30 minute rest time after the pretzel has been formed. I was wondering if the same is used if you are making other shapes, such as rolls or something else. I would think yes, and I would also think that even for the pretzels, if you wanted a fuller less dense pretzel to increase the rise time.

About the lye. how dangerous really is the water bath 3-4% lye? I mean heck, we are going to be eating the stuff huh? are goggles necessary once the solution has been made and all the concentrated lye has been put away? I still wear them until the bath is disposed of.

The lye also makes the pretzels very sticky or tacky. I was thinking about baking on a baking stone or wood fired oven, but the stickiness of the dough I think would prevent doing so. I used the parchment paper. I suppose that you could cut individual squares per pretzel to prevent the sticking, but I don't know the burning point of parchment so I was reluctant to put directly on the baking stones.

just curious.

Thanks!

TD

**Bulls Beers** · 04-28-2013, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyDick

Good to know. I only got 10 pretzels out of the recipe. Was thinking for the time, might be nice to get more. Have you tried doubling the recipe?

Also, the 20-30 minute rest time after the pretzel has been formed. I was wondering if the same is used if you are making other shapes, such as rolls or something else. I would think yes, and I would also think that even for the pretzels, if you wanted a fuller less dense pretzel to increase the rise time.

About the lye. how dangerous really is the water bath 3-4% lye? I mean heck, we are going to be eating the stuff huh? are goggles necessary once the solution has been made and all the concentrated lye has been put away? I still wear them until the bath is disposed of.

The lye also makes the pretzels very sticky or tacky. I was thinking about baking on a baking stone or wood fired oven, but the stickiness of the dough I think would prevent doing so. I used the parchment paper. I suppose that you could cut individual squares per pretzel to prevent the sticking, but I don't know the burning point of parchment so I was reluctant to put directly on the baking stones.

just curious.

Thanks!

TD

I haven't done Kai's recipe. There's another one here I have used. You should have no problem doubling the recipe, I done it with no problem. I have never used lye, I use the baking soda method. People say it's not as good as lye, but I wouldn't know. Be careful with lye. It's no joke. Also, I don't use parchment paper, I spray with Pam.