Does anyone know where i can buy pretzels- i dont mean the little snack ones, i mean the proper ones that i used to have whilst in Germany, about the size of a croissant with salt on top, delicious warm!

:rolleyes:

Must be some sort of German dog food ;)

Daisy

Make them yourself :

Soft Pretzels
Makes about eight to ten pretzels. You need:

16oz white flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried yeast
1oz butter
9 floz water

5 tsp bicarbonate of soda (aka sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda)
coarse rock or sea salt
Directions:

Make white bread dough using 1lb of white flour. I used our bread making machine on the dough setting. I also used 1oz butter rather than our normal dash of olive oil and slightly less salt than usual to encourage a more vigorous rise. If you've not got a bread making machine yet then just make it by hand.
 
Let the dough rise
 
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C or Gas mark 7.
 
Put the bicarbonate of soda in a deep frying pan along with a couple of pints of water and start bringing it to the boil.
 
Grease a couple of baking sheets.
 
When the dough has risen grab a lump of it (about an eighth) and roll it until you've got a long thin sausage about 15" long with tapered ends. Let it rest for a couple of minutes and then shape it into a pretzel, using a little water to stick the ends to the body.
 
When the water in the frying pan is simmering drop the pretzel into the water and leave it there for about 20 seconds on each side. This bit is critical. Leave it in for too little time and they will come out soft, leave it too long and they come out hard and naff.
 
Take the pretzel out and drop it onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle with rock salt.
 
Once you've filled one sheet stick it in the oven. They take about 10-12 minutes to cook. They should be well browned.
 
Cool and eat while fresh, preferably with proper German beer and ideally outdoors.

PS: do not store covered, or the salt will be absorbed into the pastry.