the flour of freshly harvested grain were called “rabbit pretzels,” since the rabbit was a euphemism for spirits in the wheat, especially from the last sheaf of wheat taken from the field. The list of similar beliefs is long and fascinating, which is perhaps why pretzels were thought to bring good luck (touched by the rabbit’s paw?) and to make excellent gifts for important turning points on the calendar.
For this reason, very large and highly ornamental pretzels were traditionally given as gifts for New Year’s Eve, or presented to children on their first birthday. They were also exhibited during parades and at county fairs under the category of trophy breads, large display pieces with elaborate designs. These pretzels were made of sweetened bread and sometimes filled with nuts and dried fruit. They were also called “potato pretzels” by some Dutch, because the dough used for making them was based on a potato sponge. Our recipe, which was made for Christmas bazaars by Laura Schadler Stofflet (1863-1916) of Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, will produce two large pretzels. You will need an oversized pizza tin to accommodate each pretzel, or two shallow cake tins measuring at least 14 inches (35cm) in diameter. Furthermore, the most traditional decorative design was to ornament the pretzel with three smaller pretzels and three braids representing heads of wheat. Once on display, the pretzels were often additionally decorated with real heads of wheat, barley or spelt, pinecones, and even evergreens; some people added a large bow.
Since the dough used in these pretzels puffs considerably during baking, the trick is to keep the dough on the lean side; otherwise, the pretzel will run together and lose its shape in the oven. Like mastering the Easter Lamb, a few practice runs will be necessary before you get the hang of it, so do not try an elaborate design until you have determined the right combination of baking tin and the quirks of your oven: if there is a hot spot, the pretzel may bake lopsided. Just the same, no matter how it may turn out the first time, Mrs. Stoffelt’s pretzel recipe will taste just fine. Incidentally, potato water in the ingredient list is water in which potatoes have been boiled. Always save it for your baking needs – you can even freeze it for later use.
Yield: Approximately two 14-inch (35cm) pretzels
½ ounce (15g) dry active yeast
1 cup (250ml) lukewarm potato water (98F/37C)
4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
1 cup (170g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon (15g) sea salt
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup (200g) mashed potatoes
7 cups (875g) bread flour
Glaze for Each Pretzel:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon (15ml) cream
1 tablespoon (15g) superfine sugar
Proof the yeast in the lukewarm potato water. In a deep work bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Beat the eggs until light and frothy, dissolve the salt in the milk, and add this to the eggs. Add the egg mixture to the butter and sugar, stir well, then stir in the mashed potatoes. Sift in 3 cups (375g) of flour to create a soft sponge. Cover and proof overnight in a warm place until double in bulk.
The next day, stir down and sift in the remaining flour, working batter into soft, pliant dough. Knead for about 10 minutes, then cover and allow the dough to proof until double in bulk. Knock down and divide the dough into two equal portions, each weighing about 2 pounds (1 kg). Trim off excess dough and reserve this for ornamenting the pretzels.
To make a pretzel, take one portion of the dough and roll it out to form a rope about 40 inches (100cm) long. The rope should be thicker in the middle than on the ends. Twist this into a pretzel shape and lay it on your baking tin. Take some of the excess dough and make braids or coils – or roll out some of it as thin as possible with a rolling pin and cut out leaves, petals for flowers, or any fanciful figures you like, and attach them to the pretzel with lightly beaten egg white. Once the design is in place, cover and let the pretzel rise for about 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the warmth of the kitchen.
While the pretzel is rising, preheat the oven to 375F (190C). For each pretzel, beat together the egg yolk, cream and sugar and brush the surface with this. Then bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until fully risen and turning golden brown. Cool on a rack. Repeat this with the other portion of dough unless your oven is large enough to accommodate both pretzels at once.
Saffron Bread
Geelbrodt
When the Pennsylvania Dutch first settled in America, the traditional wedding cake among Pennsylvania’s Quaker colonials was a type of old English bread flavored with saffron. Throughout Europe, saffron bread in one form or another served as the symbolic luxury food for weddings, funerals, Christmas feasting, New Year’s and Easter. The Pennsylvania Dutch – coming as they did from many different parts of German-speaking Europe – also brought their own regional interpretations of this once widespread tradition. For this reason, very early on in the colonial period, saffron bread came to represent a fusion of diverse culinary customs best expressed by the iconic saffron-flavored Schwenkfelder Wedding Cake, which now appears in almost every cookbook claiming to be Pennsylvania Dutch (by virtue of its long-time acceptance in regional cuisine).
For weddings, saffron bread was baked in small round loaves for easier distribution among the guests. In private households, as part of the Christmas celebration for example, the dough was baked as dinner rolls, one per guest. Or, in families that owned fine cake molds, the bread would be baked Gugelhupf-style, in an elaborate heirloom mold brought out once a year for this sort of special occasion. I have baked the bread in a rare Schtriezel mold, since the braided shape is an old one associated with festive baking. The beauty of saffron bread lies in its seemingly infinite adaptability to meet the needs of many types of special situations. One thing for certain, the bread must be bright yellow, which means no holding back on the saffron!
Finally, a word about the recipe at hand: after viewing hundreds of saffron bread recipes, I settled on Henrietta Pelz’s, as adapted from the 1835 edition of her Schlessisches Kochbuch (Silesian Cookbook). This is not a Silesian recipe, rather a fairly standard version of saffron bread found in German cookbooks dating from the Renaissance onwards. But it works and works well.
Yield: 16 to 24 servings
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
2 cups (250ml) warm whole milk (98F/37C)
1½ cups (375ml) warm spring water
½ teaspoon ground saffron
8 cups (1 kilo) organic bread flour
