Sourdough Soft Pretzels with Obatzda Cheese Dip

Warm, salty and satisfying, soft pretzels, or Brezn as they’re known in Bavaria, are one of life’s simple pleasures — and even more so when enjoyed fresh from the oven. They’re actually also incredibly rewarding to make. 

Pretzels have a long and complex history dating back 1500 years or more. Many of the theories about its origins tie into Christian symbolism: Some say the shape is reminiscent of arms crossed in prayer, or that the three holes represent the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit. One popular legend has it that a monk created the baked treat to reward his students for learning their prayers; pretiola means “little rewards” in Latin. Regardless of whether any of these theories are true, pretzels have earned a distinctive place in snack history beginning in Europe and later, across the world.

This recipe is an ode to the German archetype. We tapped German sourdough bread blogger Hendrick Kleinwaechter to fine tune this flame-cooked approach, using his experience to bring rich flavour and natural leavening to the dough. Because this recipe relies on a sourdough starter, be sure to begin preparing well in advance.

As for the dip, Obatzda is a popular dish to serve alongside soft pretzels in Bavaria. This Camembert and cream cheese dip takes its distinctive hue from paprika, then gets additional depth of flavour from finely diced onions and dark beer. The creamy, sharp profile of Obatzda is the perfect accessory to a soft, salty pretzel, and both go down swimmingly with a stein of good German beer. 


Difficulty

Servings

Makes 6 large pretzels

Prep Time

1 to 2 hours active time; 3 to 4 hours total, excluding sourdough preparation

By Ooni HQ

Sourdough Soft Pretzels with Obatzda Cheese Dip Recipe

Note

You’ll need a mature sourdough starter for this recipe. Feed your stiff sourdough starter 24 to 48 hours before you want to prep your dough. Let it increase in size one and a half times (about 2 hours) before returning it to the fridge. (If you’re new to sourdough, a stiff starter is one that is two parts flour to one part water.)

Pretzels are often dipped in a food-safe lye solution just before baking, which gives this snack its shiny coat and picture-perfect scores. This process can be a bit intimidating, so we’re using an alternative solution of baking soda, salt, and boiling water, then finishing with a simple egg wash to achieve a similar effect. 

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