Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites

munchmunchmunchmunch

So, the nearby Texan's Playoff game is coming up (hey, gotta support my local team!) so The Boyfriend is having a football party at his place. Naturally, I got to step up my snack game.


Pretzels are really quite easy to do, you just have to be willing to let the dough and yeast rise (usually around an hour). Thankfully, it's not like old school croissants (roughly around 2 day baking process) or sourdough bread (gotta wait a week for just the yeast!). And, they're really versatile. I went savory, but you can not stuff it and go with a sugar and cinnamon combo (The Boyfriend's favorite pretzel) .


Any way, it's a great treat to have for anyone who likes the meat/bread/cheese pair.
Oh, may I mention my hatred for wax paper? It's terrible. Tears easily, sticks, insults you, it's gross. Parchment or super grease FTW.


Any way, here it is! Below are photos of me making them, if you need some clarity.


Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites: Adapted from Alton Brown

Time: Roughly 2 hours
Makes around 25 2-inch pretzel rounds

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast (they're in the baking isle, usually top shelf)
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 Cup Diced Ham
• 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water [I just filled a 4 quart pan 3/4ths of the way]
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten
• Kosher Salt to top (if desired)

1. Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter, mix until well combined. 
2. Knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment [DEATH TO THE WAX PAPER] paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
5. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 4 pieces. Roll into long rectangles, and sprinkle meat and cheese along top. Roll from filled side to bottom. Cut into 1 inch pieces. [You can also take these pieces and make them into dumpling style pockets instead of spirals. Don't worry, they'll expand and be bigger]
6. Bring the water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan [I didn't have a roasting pan. I also added a pinch of brown sugar, as is usual in some pretzel recipes].
7. Place the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds. [They will puff a bit and get a darker color. Do them in batches]
8.  Remove them from the water using a slotted spoon. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 8 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
9. EAT.

You get extra points for pacman pretzels. Just sayin'. 

-K