Soft cinnamon pretzels with mocha dip

As teenagers our constant evening snack were soft pretzels. My mum used to make two flavours: pizza and cinnamon sugar.

My parent’s home is always the central hub at Christmas for all of the sibling living far away. For us Christmas is not only about spending time in the kitchen but also trying new foods. Yep, Turkey is rarely the main dish for Christmas dinner, this year we are making steak with port sauce. But there is always space for the golden oldies and I am so glad that I tried this recipe when we were all together

Even though my dad burst my bubble when he pointed out that my knots were a bit weird (a quick Google search showed that he was 80% right… however some people do knot like I do) it was so nice to hear my brother say that taking a bite of the pretzel took him back to 20 years ago.
Isn’t that what every baker wants to hear?

Soft cinnamon pretzels (yields 20)

300g plain flour

30g melted butter plus more for greasing

1 1/2 tsp of easy yeast

1 tsp salt

140ml warm water

Cinnamon and caster sugar ( I used a 5:1 sugar to cinnamon ratio)

1. Dissolve the yeast in water then add the butter and stir

2. Add flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Set aside for 15 minutes

3. Divide dough into 20 pieces. On a floured surface roll the dough into a long 15 inch rope. Twist the ends twice and fold over. Cover and leave it to prove for 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 180C and bake for 12 minutes or until golden on top. Leave it to cool on a cookie rack

5. Brush pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle them with the sugar until completely covered. Give it a tap to remove excess

Mocha dip

250ml double cream

320g dark chocolate