Zucker Bretzeln-Sugar Pretzels

The recipe for these comes from the June 1973 issue of Gourmet from the two sets I bought at the library sale in Wahoo, Nebraska. If you were the person that donated those two years worth of bound issues-thank you. I'm having a great time cooking my way through them.

The recipe is simple enough, and makes a large number of cookies-perfect for bringing to work. You'll want to use an electric mixer for this one as the dough is quite stiff. If you have children at home, enlist their help forming the dough into lengths to make the pretzels. It is slow work, but a lovely enough way to spend an afternoon, provided your three year old helper does not pick up in the middle to go off for a nap! I mean, what was I going to do, insist he stay awake and finish making pretzels? I'm sure that would be an interesting childhood memory to share with a therapist some day.

You Will Need:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

3 egg yolks

5 cups sifted flour

1 egg white

coarse sugar or pearl sugar for topping

Mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add the five cups of flour and mix well. Form into a ball and wrap in waxed paper. Chill two hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

If you have it, cover sheets with parchment (I didn't do this for the first batch and regretted it) otherwise grease your baking sheets and hope for the best.

Divide the dough in thirds. Return other two sections to icebox while you work.Each third should then be divided in half. Roll each half into a length about ten inches long. Divide into ten pieces. Roll each piece into a strip the thickness of a pencil and twist it into a pretzel shape. Place on baking sheet. Before baking, brush with egg whites and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 15 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove carefully (they are delicate) and cool on racks. Makes about 60.