Neujahrsbretzel (German New Year's Pretzel).

You can have Neujahrsbretzel (German New Year's Pretzel) using 12 ingredients and 19 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Neujahrsbretzel (German New Year's Pretzel)

1. Prepare 500 g (4 cups) of all-purpose/plain flour.
2. Prepare 9 g (2 1/2 tsp) of active dry yeast.
3. Prepare 60 g (4 Tbsp) of sugar.
4. It's 5 g (1 tsp) of salt.
5. It's 1-2 tsp of lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon).
6. You need 60 g (4 Tbsp) of unsalted butter at room temp..
7. Prepare 1 of egg at room temp..
8. You need 250 ml (2 cups) of milk, lukewarm temp.
9. You need of *******.
10. You need 1 of egg for egg wash.
11. It's of Optional topping: large granulated sugar, poppy seeds etc..
12. You need 1 of penny covered in aluminum foil for hiding ;).

Neujahrsbretzel (German New Year's Pretzel) step by step

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt and lemon zest..
2. Add chunks of butter and crumble it into the flour mix with your fingers until it's well incorporated. (You could melt it too).
3. Add the warm milk and egg. Mix until the dough starts coming together ..
4. Bring the dough together and put on a floured surface. Knead....
5. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes.., (this photo is after about 5 minutes).
6. After about 10 minutes the dough should be smooth and elastic. Form into a round ball, return to bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 45-60 minutes in a warm spot..
7. The dough should be noticeably larger..
8. Cut off 1/4 of the dough to make the braid..
9. Roll the main piece into a long roll that has tapered ends. Mine was about 100 cm in length..
10. On a lined baking pan, Fold it into a pretzel shape..
11. I usually stuff the holes with aluminum so they don't close up as the bread rises in the oven..
12. Divide the smaller piece of dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each out into a thin strand (about 50 cm).
13. Pinch the 3 ends together..
14. Braid the three strands together....
15. And pinch the other 3 ends together..
16. Lay the braid over the top of the pretzel. Don't forget to hide your lucky penny somewhere ;).
17. Beat an egg well and brush the whole pretzel with the egg wash..
18. Optionally sprinkle with large sugar granules or poppy seeds..
19. Bake at 200C/400F for 25-30 minutes until bronze/golden brown..