To conclude my series of posts on some of America’s greatest ball park foods I wanted to do a post on my all time favorite ball park concession. Ever since I went to my first ball game when I was a child I can’t remember a time in which I haven’t had this ball park staple.

The soft pretzel is so simple yet so delicious I have begun to keep them around the house all the time. I have even been known to have one for breakfast every now and then. In fact, I’m sitting here eating one as we speak (don’t give me that look – is it really all that different from a bagel?)

One of the best parts of the soft pretzel isn’t really the pretzel itself but what you dip it in that really makes the difference. You can dip it with cream cheese for a morning snack (or breakfast in my case) or you can warm up some cheese to make an afternoon game all the more delicious. However, my favorite thing to do with a soft pretzel is “accidentally” forget to put on the salt so that I’m “forced” to slather it in butter and cinnamon sugar, I mean think about it, is there really anything better then a warm cinnamon sugar pretzel in the morning?

Making a cinnamon sugar (or regular) soft pretzel really isn’t too difficult. We begin by mixing warm water and sugar. Make sure the water temperature is around 100 degrees as this will help aid your next step.

Adding yeast to your sugar water is a critical step as this is what makes your pretzel a pretzel. Without it you would have a clumpy crunchy ball of yuck and no one wants that!

Once your yeast has sat for 10 minutes to develop into foam that reminds me of pond scum (appetizing isn’t it?) you add a cup of flour.

Once you have mixed in your first cup of flour it’s time to add your salt and remaining flour. Mix on a medium slow speed (3 in kitchen aid terms) until the dough begins to pull from the sides of the bowl. If it gets stuck to the dough hook just pull it off the hook and push it down in the bottom of the bowl and continue to mix. Take the dough out and kneed it into a ball then cover with oil and let rest for an hour.

Now that you have a dough ball about twice the size you started with it’s time to form your pretzels. You have two options here. You can divide your dough ball into sixteen mini pretzels…

OR in your quest for the ultimate ball park food, you can quarter it and make 4 giant sized pretzels just like the one you get at the game!

After you have decided on the size of pretzel you want heat up 2 inches of water in a pan. Once the water starts to boil add your baking soda. Be careful not to add it too quickly as it will boil up and make a mess! Add the remaining sugar and your poaching bath has been prepared!

Poach each pretzel for about one and a half minutes each side.

When all of your soft pretzels have been poached wash them with the egg wash and place them in the oven. This is also where you “forget” to add salt if you “accidnetally” have to make cinnamon sugar pretzels. Bake for 15 minutes for minis and 20 minutes if you made breakfast …err… I mean…. ball park size.

When they come out of the oven your pretzels should be golden brown. Resist them if you can long enough to drown them in butter and cinnamon sugar. You are now ready for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Soft Pretzels
Adapted from Martha Stewart and borrowed from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 16 miniature or 4 ball park size

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1 large egg
Coarse or pretzel salt or 1/4 cup sugar and tablespoon sugar mixed

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Pour warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar into bowl of electric mixer fitted with a dough hook* and stir to combine. Sprinkle with yeast, and let sit 10 minutes; yeast should be foamy.

2. Add 1 cup flour to yeast, and mix on low until combined. Add salt and 4 cups more flour, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium-low until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup flour, and knead on low 1 minute more. If dough is still wet and sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour (this will depend on weather conditions); knead until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly floured board, and knead about ten times, or until smooth.

3. Pour oil into a large bowl; swirl to coat sides. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to completely cover all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel, and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size.

4. Heat oven to 450°F. Lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray (parchment paper, ungreased, also works). Set aside. Punch down dough to remove bubbles. Transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead once or twice, divide into 16 pieces (about 2 1/2 ounces each) or 4 if making ball park pretzels, and wrap in plastic.

5. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 18-inch-long strip. [I find the pretzels much easier to roll on an unfloured board, oddly enough, but see what works for you.] Twist into pretzel shape; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel. Let pretzels rest until they rise slightly, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, fill large, shallow pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add baking soda (and step back, it foams up quickly) and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Reduce to a simmer; transfer three to four pretzels to water. Poach 1 minute on each side. Use slotted spoon to transfer pretzels to baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels are poached.

7. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzels with egg glaze. Sprinkle with salt or leave off if wanting to make cinnamon sugar pretzels. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. Let cool on wire rack, or eat warm. Pretzels are best when eaten the same day, but will keep at room temperature, uncovered, for two days. Do not store in covered container or they will become soggy.

* These days, I mix all of my bread doughs by hand, with a wooden spoon. I find it a fantastically easy process, and not very hard to stir by hand. No need to mix for several minutes, just a minute or so after it looks combined. To save even more dishes, I rinse out the bowl, oil it and use it for proofing the dough. And you thought making bread wasn’t simple!