CTV Recipes
Search Recipes
Soft pretzel knots with beer cheese
Nothing beats a soft pretzel but when combined with this cheesy sauce, it's pure food magic.
YIELDS
6
TO
12
Ingredients
Soft Pretzel Knots
- 2 1/2 cups (325 g) all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for kneading
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) whole or 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons (34 g) honey
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) + 6 cups (1500 mL) water, divided
- 6 tablespoons (72 g) baking soda
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water, lightly beaten, for an egg wash
- Coarse or flakey salt
Beer Cheese Dip
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) whole or 2% milk
- 1/3 cup (83 mL) light flavoured beer, such as a lager or pilsner
- 1/4 cup (62 g) cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup (120 g) grated cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt, to season
Directions
Soft Pretzel Knots
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt until well combined.
- Combine milk, honey, and melted butter in a small saucepan. Heat until warm and add half a cup of water. Since you’re working with yeast, you want the mixture to be around body temperature so if your milk mixture is a bit on the hot side, add cooler water to bring the temperature down. If your mixture is at body temperature or a bit warmer, add water around the same temperature.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir into a shaggy dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about five minutes. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a plate or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about one hour.
- Heat your oven to 425º F and line two large sheet pans with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch rope. Tie into knots, tuck the ends underneath, and transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Drape the formed pretzels with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Combine the remaining six cups of water with the baking soda in a large straight-sided sauté pan or saucepot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Carefully add four of the pretzel knots to the boiling water and poach for 30 seconds, flipping halfway through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the poached pretzel knots from the water and return to the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels have been poached.
- Lightly brush the tops of each pretzel with a little egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the pretzels to cool before serving.
Beer Cheese Dip
- Melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour and whisk for about one minute to combine and toast the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk followed by the beer. Add in the cream cheese, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic powder turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about three to four minutes.
- Slowly add in the cheddar cheese and whisk until fully combined then season with salt and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve with pretzel knots.
- Serve with pretzels and enjoy!
