Pretzel Bread — The Loaf That Fills the House When Everything Else Is Full Too

Mid-July and I have been sleeping better than I used to. I noticed this this week: I fall asleep within minutes of lying down and I sleep through. I am tired in the good way, the productive way, the way that comes from using yourself fully in the right direction. Working full-time and taking classes and managing eight toddlers and cooking and visiting Gloria on Sundays is a lot and it is all the right things.

Biscuit has started sleeping at the foot of the bed. She was sleeping on the kitchen windowsill for months and then one night last week she appeared at the foot of the bed and stayed. I did not move when she arrived. I just breathed slowly and let her decide. She decided. Now we sleep in the same room and I wake up and she is at the foot of the bed and that is fine. That is more than fine.

Made zucchini bread this week because Keisha garden, which she has on her apartment balcony, produced more zucchini than any two people need and she brought me three. Zucchini bread is quick bread like banana bread: you grate the zucchini, mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, combine, bake. The zucchini disappears into the bread and makes it moist without tasting like zucchini. My neighbor kid, ten years old, asked me through the screen door what I was baking and I gave him a slice and he said what is in this and I said zucchini and he made a face and said it does not taste like zucchini and I said I know.

The zucchini bread was gone by Thursday — the neighbor kid alone accounted for two more slices after that first one — and I found myself wanting to bake again just for the sake of it, for the way the apartment smells and the way doing something with your hands settles you down after a full week. Pretzel bread has that same quality: it’s a project that rewards you at the end with something you can hand to someone and feel good about. Keisha brought the zucchini; I’ll bring the bread next time.

Pretzel Bread

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 1 hr 45 min (includes rise time) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one standard packet)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 8 cups water (for the baking soda bath)
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt, for topping

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast. Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If the mixture does not foam, the yeast is not active — start over with fresh yeast.
2. Mix the dough. Add the flour, salt, and softened butter to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
3. First rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Shape the loaf. Punch the dough down and shape it into a tight oval or round loaf. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the baking soda bath.
5. Prepare the baking soda bath. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Carefully add the baking soda (it will foam up briefly). Reduce to a gentle boil.
6. Boil the loaf. Using a large slotted spoon or spider, gently lower the shaped loaf into the boiling baking soda water. Boil for 30 seconds per side, then carefully transfer back to the lined baking sheet. This step is what gives pretzel bread its characteristic chewy crust and deep brown color.
7. Score and top. Brush the loaf evenly with beaten egg wash. Use a sharp knife or lame to score a shallow “X” or several diagonal slashes across the top. Sprinkle generously with coarse pretzel salt.
8. Bake. Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake the loaf for 22 to 26 minutes until deep mahogany brown. A hollow sound when tapped on the bottom means it’s done. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 195 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 35g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 890mg