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New Year’s Traditions … Bake some Good Luck!

December 30, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

2013.12.29@17.39.08._K5I0980

Sweet New Year’s Pretzel with walnuts

Even though I live here in Oregon (8 years) I am originally from a town just south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  We had many great food traditions that I have not seen here in the Pacific Northwest.  I grew up on Pork & Sauerkraut on New Year’s Day,  Isaly’s chipped ham made into BBQ sandwiches, Holuski (cabbage & noodles), Pierogies, Golabki (Stuffed Cabbage) and many more.   One of the traditions I brought with me is making a New Year’s Pretzel.  This is a large pretzel made with a sweet bread dough and glazed with a confectioners sugar icing.  It is said you need to eat a piece at midnight New Year’s Eve or before breakfast on New Year’s day to bring you good luck for the coming year.  The recipe below makes two pretzels so I decided to make one the traditional way and to start a new tradition by making the second one with Fresh From Oregon flavors and I added cranberries and hazelnuts!  Once you make these pretzels and taste them you will be making them each year and starting your own family tradition.

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Divide dough in half

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Shape into a horseshoe shape with
open ends towards you

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Cross right side over left and
create a circle on the top

New Year’s Sweet Pretzel
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded and skimmed
1/2 cup sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
6 to 7 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
5-6 Tablespoons water
1/4 cup ground walnuts

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Cross left side over right

Put the scalded milk, sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and let stir until the butter and sugar are dissolved. In another small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. It should begin to foam in about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, the yeast mixture and the 2 eggs to the milk mixture. Use a dough hook to mix until it is a soft, even batter. Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Continue to knead until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Take the dough out on a lightly floured board and give it a few turns to form a smooth ball. Put it into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto the board and divide in half. Roll each half into a long rope (36″ long) and shape into a pretzel. Lay the pretzel onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and allow to rise for another hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until dark golden-brown.  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Make a frosting by mixing the confectioner’s sugar with the almond extract (or vanilla if you prefer) and enough water to make a spreadable icing. Pour the icing over the bread and sprinkle with the walnuts.  I have seen these also decorate with the toasted almond slices and candied cherries.

Shaping a Pretzel
1. Roll into a 36″ rope
2. Shape into a horseshoe shape with open ends towards you
3. Cross right side over left and create a circle on the top
4. Cross left side over right
5. Bring ends up to the top and press into the dough

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Bring ends up to the top and press into the dough

Fresh From Oregon New Year’s Pretzel2013.12.29@11.58.04._K5I0849
To add the Pacific Northwest to this pretzel add about 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts to dough when you divide it in half and before you roll it into a rope.  After you glazed the pretzel sprinkle with with dried cranberries and hazelnuts.

Recipe from: Pittsburgh Magazine

2013.12.29@17.34.30._K5I0976

Filed Under: baking, bread, breakfast, desserts, family favorites, hazelnuts · Tagged: baking, cranberries, German, good luck, hazelnuts, new years, Pittsburgh, pretzels, tradation, walnuts

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