Most people think of the twisted German pretzel when they imagine a pretzel. However, some pretzels, such as the Philadelphia pretzel, come in a row of five or six pretzels linked together. The Philadelphia pretzels have a figure-8 shape and are baked close together to create a linked line. After baking, the pretzels look similar to a line of sausages. Shaping and linking pretzels in this way is not difficult but might take some getting used to before you can perfect the process.
Instructions
1. Pinch off about a handful of dough. Roll the dough into a long, worm-like shape about 1/2-inch thick and 18 inches long. If the dough seems sticky, flour it and the surface below.
2. Form the dough into a rounded rectangle shape. Twist the two loose ends of the dough around each other twice, then fold the loose ends back toward the middle of the loop, and attach to the middle of the loop, dividing the dough into two loops. You might have to wet the ends of the dough to get it to stick together. Stretch the two loops apart gently to make a figure-8 shape.
3. Place the dough pieces close together on a baking sheet. Wet the sides of the dough with a pastry brush, and press several links together to make a row of linked pretzels. Place the links inside a frying basket, and dip the pretzels into boiling water for a few seconds before placing them in the oven to bake.
4. Bake the pretzels on a cookie sheet in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden-brown. Allow the pretzels to cool for five to 10 minutes before eating.
Tags: dough into, close together, ends dough, figure-8 shape, loose ends, middle loop