ReceptnaptárVanilla pretzels
Vanilla pretzels are a Christmas tea-biscuit classic: crumbly, buttery and almondy. In old recipes the vanilla sugar was homemade with a vanilla pod; today shop-bought vanilla sugar, or icing sugar mixed with it, works perfectly. The egg yolk holds the dough together so it is easier to shape.
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Ingredients
Method
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- Cream the butter with the icing sugar and salt until fluffy, add the egg yolk. Sift in the flour, add the almonds and bring the dough together with brief kneading by hand. Do not overwork it, or it turns hard.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes so the butter firms up and the dough is easy to shape. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 175 °C (160 °C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Pinch off hazelnut-sized pieces, roll them into ropes about 12 cm long, then shape into pretzels, crescents or half moons. Place on the tray 2 cm apart.
- Bake at 175 °C for 12-15 minutes until the edges are light golden. Do not over-brown them; vanilla pretzels look best pale.
- Let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes so they do not break, then roll them in vanilla sugar while still warm. Cool completely on a rack and store in an airtight tin.
Based on: Malatinszky Fanny szakácskönyve (a classic Hungarian cookbook), modernised. Calories and protein are estimated.
Tips
- Chilling matters: warm dough sticks and spreads in the oven.
- Roll the biscuits in vanilla sugar while lukewarm, not hot, so it sticks.
- Homemade vanilla sugar: split a vanilla pod, scrape it out, and mix with 200 g icing sugar, leaving it for a week.
- In an airtight tin they keep for 2 weeks, and the vanilla sugar stays on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use other nuts?
Yes, ground walnuts or hazelnuts also work, but the pale colour of the pretzel comes from the almonds.
Why did the pretzels turn hard?
Overworking the dough or baking too long. Knead briefly and bake at 175 °C until golden.
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- Decorated little doughnuts
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- Chestnut slice, another way
- Chestnuts made from almonds
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