Spooky Pretzel Bones

By á-81356

Homemade pretzels are made in the shape of bones and served with a warm and spicy cheese dip. Perfect appetizer for a Halloween party.

Ingredients

• DOUGH:
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 3 3/4 cups to 5 cups all purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
• FIERY CHEESE SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 40mins

Preparation

Step 1

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a stir and let it sit untouched for 10 minutes until foamy. Add the melted butter and then slowly add 3 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix until thick on medium speed. If the dough is still sticky, add 1/4 cup flour at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and you can poke it with your finger and it bounces back.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes. Shape dough into a ball and place into a large lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave in a warm area for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

With a sharp knife, cut the ball of dough in half and then cut each half into 8 equal pieces, totaling 16 in all. On a clean counter top or unmoving surface (no parchment paper)!), take one dough ball and start rolling it into a long rope by placing your hands in the middle and rolling outwards and away from each other. Do this until the top is approximately 12-14 inches long. When you get to the ends, roll them out a little thinner leaving the middle portion of the pretzel rope thick. Tie each end into a knot, pulling the end all the way through the loop to create the bone shape. Set aside and roll out the rest.

Boil 9 cups of water with 1/2 cup baking soda. Once it is rapidly boiling, drop several of the bones into the water and let them sit for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Brush each pretzel with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

To make the cheese sauce, heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until you see bubbles starting to form. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, stirring constantly until a thick paste forms, 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the warm milk to the flour mixture and whisk constantly. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. It should be thick but still pour-able. Remove from heat and add the cheese, whisking until melted. Add the Sriracha and mustard, whisking until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove pretzels from the oven and serve with cheese sauce.

Pretzels will remain fresh up to 3 days in an airtight container, although they will lose some of their softness.