When life gives you lemons....

When life gives you lemons, you....make lemon blueberry soft pretzels. Yes, I know, it sounds a bit weird but they were divine. I've been getting my fitness on, and it hit me...you know what I REALLY miss here in Germany? A good soft pretzel like you'd get from Auntie Annie's in the mall. In the end, I've been good so why not right? Exactly. I did forget to add poppy seeds to the dough like I had intended but it turned out great either way. If you do decide to add poppy seeds, I'd say about 2 tbsp.

Maybe I'll be making Pepperoni or Pretzel Dogs in the near future! For now, lets get started.

For Pretzels:
adapted from smells like home.
used for basic pretzel base.

Makes about 12 large pretzels.

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cups unsalted butter, melted
1/4 - 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 lemon for lemon zest
(if more lemon flavor is desired add half more lemon zest from another lemon)

For later:

10 cups water
2/3 cups baking soda
2 tbsp melted butter

For vanilla icing/glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

combine well and brush onto pretzel or dip.

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 F

In a large bowl - it can be a normal bowl or you can use your stand mixer if it has a dough hook. I just used a normal bowl and a large plastic cake spoon. Mix together yeast, salt, water, and sugar until dissolved then add the flour and butter. If you're using a stand mixer, switch to a dough hook at this point and put on medium speed until dough is smooth and pulls from side of bowl; if you're not, simply mix the dough until it forms large chucks and all ingredients are mixed together. Take clean hands and knead the dough until it has fully come together, after add your lemon zest and blueberries. Carefully fold into the dough and knead a few more times but not too much, you don't want to dry out the dough or over knead as it will not be as soft final product.

Once everything is done, place dough into lightly buttered bowl and place in a warm place covered in plastic wrap for about an hour or until doubled in size.

A pastry cutter would be ideal but if you don't have this, a butter knife will do as well. Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and cut into 8 equal pieces (a little bigger is also fine). Roll each piece of dough into 24-inch rope or your desired length, depending on how big or small you desire them and form pretzel. Be gentle to not crush the blueberries, but if you do, do not fret. Place a damp paper towel over formed pretzel to prevent it from drying out as you form the others.

Now that everyone has been formed and covered start boiling the 10 cups of water and add the baking soda. One pretzel at a time, dip it in using a spatula for about 30 seconds then place one by one, on a cooking sheet covered with wax paper. (please be sure to spray wax paper because sticking IS an issue if you do not. Lets just say, some of mine didn't come out too pretty and had wax paper stuck to them...forever! Ha ha)

Brush on the butter, place them in the oven and bake them until they are a nice medium/darker brown or about 12-14 mins. Mine only took 10 minutes, just be sure to watch them closer to when they should be done. So cooking times vary!

Take them out of the oven, brush with remaining butter and, let them cool for about 5-10 minutes, brush some of the icing on them and serve with the rest of the vanilla icing!

If you'd like even more of a citrus burst: with left over lemon zest mix it together with some sugar and add it on top of the pretzel after brushing on vanilla icing!

Enjoy!!!