Cheese and Mustard Pretzels with Cider Dip

After seeing the soft pretzel recipe on Flourtraders blog, I was struck down with food envy. It reminded me of having massive cheese pretzels in America and I suddenly had a craving for them. Carrying on my love of mustard, I couldn't resist the addition to the savory pretzel and thought it would be perfect with cheese as well. I also really wanted to somehow get cider in there, but decided it might end in disaster so came up with the cheese and cider dip. This was one of those recipes where you just add some ingredients that you think might work and hope for the best, luckily they came out soft, doughy and tasty! 

Cheesy pretzel with cider dip 

For 8 pretzels:

Yeast

450g plain white flour

150g wholemeal flour

100g butter

150g grated cheese

2 tbsp mustard

A cup of water

100 sugar

1 tsp sugar

1tsp salt

beaten egg

extra grated cheese for topping

For cheese and cider dip:

100ml vegetarian dry cider 

100g cheddar cheese

1 tbsp flour

Pretzel dough awaiting the oven (and cheese)

1. Start by combining the yeast with a tsp of sugar and 3 tbsp of warm water and leaving for ten minutes.
2. Cream together the butter, mustard and cheese.
3. Mix the flours, sugar, salt, and butter mixture together with your finger tips to make bread crumbs.
4. Make a well and pout the yeast mixture in, then mix together. Keep adding small amounts of water and mixing until it forms a firm dough.
5. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, then put in an oiled bowl covered in cling film to rise in a warm place for an hour.
6. When risen, chop into 8 equal pieces and roll in to very long thin pieces.
7. Fold them into a pretzel shapes, brush with egg, top with cheese and bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.
8. Make up the dip by boiling the cider for 3 minutes, then mixing in the cheese and flour until it forms a smooth dip.
9. Serve the pretzels straight from the oven with the warm dip.

Posted in: Baking