Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese

• Prep35 min
• Cook30 min
• Total2 h 5 min
• Serves8

Ingredients

For the dough

• 300 g warm water (1 1/4 cups)
• 15 g brown sugar (1 tbsp)
• 7 g instant or active dry yeast (1 packet, 2 1/4 tsp)
• 30 g unsalted butter (2 tbsp), in pieces
• 500 g all-purpose flour (4 cups), plus a little for shaping
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• Vegetable oil, for the bowl and the parchment

For the bath and topping

• 2 L water (8 1/2 cups)
• 110 g baking soda (1/2 cup)
• 1 egg yolk, beaten with 15 g water (1 tbsp)
• Coarse pretzel salt or coarse sea salt

For the beer cheese

• 225 g sharp cheddar cheese, cold, in 3 cm pieces (8 oz)
• 30 g unsalted butter (2 tbsp)
• 25 g all-purpose flour (3 tbsp)
• 180 g lager or amber beer (3/4 cup)
• 120 g whole milk (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, optional

To serve

• Grainy mustard

Instructions

1. Place the warm water, brown sugar, yeast and butter in the mixing bowl and warm 2 min/37°C (98°F)/speed 2. Add the flour and salt and knead 3 min/dough mode. The dough should be smooth and only slightly tacky.
2. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled. Wash and dry the mixing bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper brushed with a little oil. Divide the dough into 8 pieces (about 105 g each). Roll each one into a 60 cm (24 in) rope, make a U, twist the ends together twice and press them onto the bottom of the U.
4. In a wide stainless steel pot on the stove, bring the 2 L of water to a boil, lower to a simmer and add the baking soda slowly, because it foams up. Lower 2 pretzels at a time into the water for 30 seconds, turning once, then lift them out with a slotted spatula onto the baking sheets.
5. Brush the pretzels with the egg yolk mixture, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until deep mahogany brown. Let them cool 5 minutes on a rack.
6. While the pretzels bake, place the cheddar in the clean, dry mixing bowl, grate 8 sec/speed 6 and transfer to a bowl.
7. Place the butter, flour, beer, milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne in the mixing bowl and cook 6 min/90°C (195°F)/speed 4, until slightly thickened.
8. Add the grated cheddar and cook 3 min/80°C (175°F)/speed 3, until the cheese melts into a smooth dip. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
9. Serve the warm pretzels with the beer cheese and grainy mustard.

Tips

• Alcohol-free version: the beer does not fully cook off in this short time, so for kids or anyone avoiding alcohol, use non-alcoholic beer or replace it with more milk and add 1/2 tsp more mustard.
• For pretzel bites, cut each rope into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces, give them 20 seconds in the bath and bake 10 to 12 minutes.
• Pretzels are best the day they are baked. Warm leftovers in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes. The beer cheese keeps 4 days in the fridge; rewarm it in the TM7 at 70°C (160°F), speed 2, with a splash of milk.