What do you get when you cross the best part of a soft pretzel - the doughy center twist - with a rich and creamy beer cheese dip? A match made in heaven!
Today you're getting two recipes for the price of one! Oktoberfest Soft Pretzel Twists AND Onion Beer Cheese Dip!! Let's do this!
We'll start with the pretzels. Oh my gosh the pretzels! This former Philly girl loves a good soft pretzel. And since everyone knows that the doughy center twist of a soft pretzel is the best part, I got rid of the rest of the pretzel altogether and just make doughy pretzel twists!
And then there's the cheese dip. This is not your ordinary cheese dip, or even your ordinary beer cheese dip, because it's also full of tangy onion and mustard flavors. This is hands down my favorite beer cheese dip recipe of all time (#humblebrag) and I could eat this with soft pretzels for ever and ever and be very happy.
So let's get to work!
[recipe title="Oktoberfest Soft Pretzel Twists" servings="10"]
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp fine sea salt
2 T honey
1 scant T active dry yeast
4 T unsalted butter, melted
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 c water
1/2 c baking soda
1 large egg yolk
1 T milk
Sea salt for sprinkling
Minced onion for sprinkling
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine 1 1/2 cups water, honey, and salt. Stir until the honey has dissolved and the water is warm (not hot) to the touch. Then turn off the heat and sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture. Allow to stand about 5 to 7 minutes until foamy.
Once foamy, pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. With the mixer running on low speed, add the melted butter then slowly add the flour and mix just until combined. Then turn the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it’s smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Pour the vegetable oil into a clean bowl and rub it all around the inside of the bowl using a paper towel. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel dampened with warm water. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour, until it’s doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, it’s time to shape the pretzels! Place the dough on a well floured surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a rope about 20 inches long. Form a U-shape with the rope, then twist the two sides around each other and press the two ends together. Place the shaped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a large pot, pour the 8 cups of water and the baking soda. Bring the water to a rolling boil and then immediately turn it down to medium low heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, working one at a time, drop each pretzel into the boiling water for 30 seconds each. Remove from the water using a spider skimmer or a roux whisk and return to the baking sheet.
Make an egg wash by beating the egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the top of each pretzel, then sprinkle each pretzel with sea salt and minced onion.
Bake approximately 12 to 15 minutes or until dark golden brown. Let pretzels cool for 2 minutes on tray before transferring to a baking rack.
Serve with Onion Beer Cheese Dip (keep scrolling for recipe).
[/recipe]
[recipe title="Onion Beer Cheese Dip" servings="10"]
INGREDIENTS:
3 T butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup beer
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp dried mustard
3/8 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup flour
DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the beer and cheese to the pan and reduce heat to medium low. Stir while cooking until the cheese melts. Add the dried mustard to the pan and stir to combine.
Sprinkle a little bit of the cornstarch into the mixture and stir to combine. Continue until all the cornstarch has been added. Follow the same process with the flour, slowly adding some to the cheese mixture and stirring to combine, until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. The cheese should thicken so that you'll be able to scoop it with a pretzel, but remember that it will thicken a bit more as it cools.
Serve the cheese dip warm with pretzels.
[/recipe]
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