[0 - 2] - Today, I'm gonna risk my life
[2 - 4] in the pursuit of a pretzel. (gentle string music)
[4 - 6] Not just any pretzel, though,
[6 - 8] a German lye-dipped pretzel,
[8 - 10] gorgeous, smooth, mahogany exterior,
[10 - 12] and chewy, pleasantly dense interior,
[12 - 15] sprinkled with pretzel salt and served with good butter.
[15 - 17] Okay, so maybe I was being slightly dramatic.
[17 - 19] We aren't going to need a full hazmat suit,
[19 - 22] but we are gonna be working with a highly caustic substance.
[22 - 26] Lye in solution tops out the pH scale at 14.
[26 - 28] That is extremely alkaline.
[28 - 29] It is used to clean drains,
[29 - 34] and it can do this to a can of soda in just an hour, whoa!
[34 - 36] So why on earth would we use it on food?
[36 - 38] Because extreme alkalis can make
[38 - 39] some extremely delicious food
[43 - 45] Treating dried corn with CAL, (gentle string music)
[45 - 46] or calcium hydroxide,
[46 - 49] an ancient process called nixtamalization,
[49 - 50] is the foundation of masa,
[50 - 52] the dough that gives us tortillas, tamales,
[52 - 53] and so much more.
[53 - 56] The calcium hydroxide initiates many flavor
[56 - 57] and nutritional changes in the corner.
[57 - 59] The Chinese 1000 year old egg is created
[59 - 61] using various strong alkalis.
[61 - 63] Again, the transformation is dramatic,
[63 - 65] as the egg white turns almost black,
[65 - 66] but retains its clarity,
[66 - 68] and the yolk takes on a deep green color.
[68 - 71] The flavor is incredibly rich and complex.
[71 - 73] Even some olives are processed using lye,
[73 - 74] which works very quickly compared
[74 - 76] to the salt brine technique,
[76 - 77] and it allows the olives
[77 - 79] to retain their natural green color.
[79 - 81] So what does lye do for a pretzel, you ask?
[81 - 82] Quite a lot, actually.
[82 - 83] Dipping the dough (energetic string music)
[83 - 85] in a lye solution gives traditional German pretzels
[85 - 88] their characteristic salinity, chew,
[88 - 90] and that smooth mahogany exterior.
[90 - 91] It boosts flavorable browning
[91 - 93] by accelerating Maillardization
[93 - 94] and caramelizing sugars in the dough.
[94 - 96] And it gels surface starch,
[96 - 98] so the pretzels bake up smooth and shiny.
[99 - 101] What most fascinating of all, in my opinion,
[101 - 103] is that lye actually completely changes the aroma
[103 - 104] of baked goods.
[104 - 105] It imparts that unique pretzel smell
[105 - 107] and taste by inhibiting the creation
[107 - 109] of typical baked good aroma compounds
[109 - 111] while spurring the formation of others.
[111 - 112] And it's true.
[112 - 113] Smell a pretzel.
[113 - 114] No, seriously, I'll wait.
[114 - 115] Go smell a pretzel.
[115 - 117] Oh wow, you actually have one right there, nice.
[117 - 119] It smells like a pretzel, right?
[119 - 120] What I mean is it doesn't smell
[120 - 124] like baked bread or a roll, or crackers or anything else.
[124 - 127] Singular, original pretzel.
[127 - 128] This result, as I mentioned,
[128 - 130] is thanks to lye's chart-topping alkalinity.
[130 - 131] Now, if after watching this video,
[131 - 133] you don't choose to work with lye,
[133 - 134] you can still get good results
[134 - 136] by using baking soda.
[136 - 138] With a pH of roughly 8.3,
[138 - 140] It will still change color and flavor.
[140 - 141] Check out this experiment.
[141 - 143] This pretzel was dipped in lye before baking,
[143 - 144] while this one was dipped
[144 - 146] in a simmering baking soda solution.
[146 - 148] You can see the color and sheen difference.
[148 - 148] And the aroma?
[148 - 151] The lye pretzel is classic, undeniable pretzel,
[151 - 154] but the baking soda one smells pretty darn good too.
[154 - 156] Okay, so who's ready to do this, what's that?
[156 - 160] Oh, you wanna know how it's safe to eat a pretzel
[160 - 162] after dipping and lye, great question.
[162 - 164] So any lye left over after the initial reaction
[164 - 167] with the dough reacts with CO2 and breaks down harmlessly.
[167 - 169] If you don't believe me, I direct your attention
[169 - 173] to the country of Germany, population 84.5 million.
[173 - 175] Let's go to the kitchen. (gentle string music)
[175 - 177] I'm making deputy food editor Andrea Geary's
[177 - 180] obsessively tested recipe, and it all starts
[180 - 181] with a really simple dough.
[181 - 184] We'll combine bread flour, table salt, and yeast
[184 - 186] in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to combine.
[186 - 187] We are using bread flour
[187 - 189] because it has a high gluten potential.
[189 - 191] That means it contains elevated amounts
[191 - 194] of glutenin and gliadin, two proteins that come together
[194 - 196] in the presence of water to form gluten.
[196 - 198] Gluten is chewy and resilient,
[198 - 199] and we want pretzels with proper chew.
[199 - 202] Next, we add water and softened butter,
[202 - 203] and mix on low speed
[203 - 204] until the flour is moistened,
[204 - 206] which takes just about a minute.
[206 - 207] Then we increase the speed to medium low
[207 - 210] and continue to mix until the dough is smooth and elastic,
[210 - 212] about six minutes longer.
[212 - 213] I'll shape the dough into a ball,
[213 - 215] transfer it to a lightly greased bowl,
[215 - 216] and then let it rise until doubled,
[216 - 219] which takes about an hour, easy peasy, right?
[219 - 221] Here is our one-hour doubled dough.
[221 - 223] It has a really nice, silky feel to it.
[223 - 226] After dividing it into six equal portions,
[226 - 227] I used my hand and the friction of the counter
[228 - 230] to form each into a smooth ball.
[230 - 232] After a 10 minute rest under a damp towel,
[232 - 234] it is time to form our pretzels.
[234 - 235] Now our goal is to press out
[235 - 238] as many big air bubbles as possible,
[238 - 239] because the pretzel should have a dense crumb.
[240 - 242] Big air bubbles inflate in the oven and create big holes.
[242 - 244] Using my hands and rolling pin,
[244 - 246] I flatten the dough into a four by eight inch rectangle.
[246 - 249] Part of that pretzel chew comes from the shaping method.
[249 - 251] The more we manipulate the dough,
[251 - 253] the stronger the gluten network that we can form.
[253 - 254] So we'll roll the dough
[254 - 257] into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam to seal.
[257 - 259] Now we'll roll the cylinders into 9" ropes.
[259 - 260] Let them rest a beat,
[260 - 263] and then roll all the way to 28 inches.
[263 - 264] Now this might seem challenging,
[264 - 265] but the dough is so forgiving
[265 - 267] that it's easy and fun to roll it out this far.
[267 - 270] Okay, here is where the pretzel-shaping magic happens.
[270 - 273] Now, if you've ever watched a professional make pretzels,
[273 - 274] you've seen them do it
[274 - 276] in one seamless motion in the air.
[276 - 277] That takes some practice,
[277 - 280] and that's practice that I've never done, ever,
[280 - 281] but that won't stop me
[281 - 283] from trying it right now in front of all of you.
[283 - 286] (energetic string music)
[295 - 297] Impressive, let's switch the counter
[297 - 299] and go nice and slow. (gentle string music)
[299 - 300] We'll shape the rope
[300 - 303] into an inverted U with the ends facing towards us.
[303 - 306] Then we'll cross the rope ends once, and then again.
[306 - 309] Finally, we lift the ends and attach them to the other side
[309 - 312] of the inverted U at about 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock
[312 - 314] and press the ends firmly into the body of the pretzel.
[314 - 315] Now we just transfer them
[315 - 317] to a parchment-lined sheet, cover,
[317 - 319] and refrigerate for at least two hours
[319 - 320] or up to 24 hours.
[320 - 323] Long, cold fermentation like this will develop good flavor
[323 - 326] in the dough while limiting large bubbles of CO2,
[326 - 327] which would mess up our
[327 - 329] otherwise beautiful pretzel appearance.
[329 - 331] Okay, so now comes the fun part, lye.
[331 - 332] Now, before working with lye,
[332 - 335] you'll have to read our full guide on doing it safely.
[335 - 338] There's a link below this video along with the full recipe.
[338 - 339] Now, while you're down there,
[339 - 340] make sure you hit that little bell button
[340 - 342] that needs to be clicked.
[342 - 345] That one notifies you each time a video of mine drops.
[345 - 346] All right, so here's my setup.
[346 - 350] (dramatic guitar music)
[350 - 353] Okay, so, you're more than welcome to go full "Breaking Bad"
[353 - 355] with the suit if that's fun for you.
[355 - 356] You like dressing up (gentle string music)
[356 - 358] or you wanna scare your family.
[358 - 359] That's just an option I wanted to present to you,
[360 - 361] but it's really not necessary.
[361 - 364] The keys here are a well-ventilated room
[364 - 365] free of small children and pets,
[365 - 368] long sleeves, rubber gloves, and safety goggles.
[368 - 371] I start by covering the counter with plastic wrap.
[371 - 372] Then I put on my rubber gloves
[372 - 374] and finally my goggles.
[374 - 377] I measure out 40 grams of lye crystals into a small bowl,
[377 - 378] and then add the crystals
[378 - 381] to 1000 grams of cold water in a non-reactive bowl.
[381 - 383] When lye reacts with water, it actually releases heat.
[383 - 386] So starting with cool water is key, check it out.
[386 - 387] Watch as the temperature
[387 - 390] of the water climbs as I whisk the lye in.
[390 - 392] If I kept adding lye, the temperature would keep climbing.
[392 - 394] This is an exothermic reaction,
[394 - 396] or one that produces heat or light,
[396 - 398] and your counter should look like this.
[398 - 400] An unwrapped sheet of chilled pretzels,
[400 - 402] a bowl of lye solution,
[402 - 404] and a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.
[404 - 406] And finally, a silicone baking sheet liner
[406 - 407] in a baking sheet.
[407 - 408] We'll pick up one pretzel
[408 - 409] with our gloved hands,
[409 - 412] pinching where the ends meet the body of the pretzel,
[412 - 415] and transfer it gently. presentation side down, to the lye.
[415 - 416] We'll let it soak
[416 - 418] for just 15 seconds, pressing to keep it submerged.
[418 - 420] Then we transfer it presentation side up
[420 - 423] to a prepared wire rack to briefly drain,
[423 - 425] and then finally over to the silicone line sheet.
[425 - 427] Now it's time for the salt.
[427 - 429] Ideally, you find pretzel salt for these bad boys.
[429 - 431] Pretzel salt may look like any other salt,
[431 - 433] but it's unique in its composition.
[433 - 436] It's a salt made of compressed very finely ground salt.
[436 - 438] That means it will dissolve slower
[438 - 440] and be nicer to bite into than one solid rock.
[440 - 442] We sprinkle them all over
[442 - 445] and bake until deeply browned, about 12 minutes.
[445 - 448] Psst, PSA, be sure to read that entire safety document
[448 - 450] regarding how to clean up your lye station.
[450 - 452] Look at this pretzel. (upbeat string music)
[452 - 454] Smell this pretzel.
[454 - 455] Sorry, I know you can't do that.
[455 - 457] Taste this pretzel.
[457 - 458] Again, sorry, I know you can't do that.
[458 - 459] Still warm from the oven,
[459 - 461] this pretzel is an experience.
[461 - 463] It's chewy, tender, and aromatic
[463 - 465] with that undeniable pretzel smell.
[465 - 467] The outside is lightly crisp.
[467 - 470] The pops of salt add flavor and texture.
[470 - 471] This is so good.
[471 - 472] It needs absolutely nothing.
[472 - 473] It's a perfect food.
[473 - 475] But that doesn't mean I won't add butter.
[475 - 476] I slice it crosswise
[476 - 479] as I would a bagel and spread on the butter.
[479 - 481] Or you can go with mustard and vice versa, yum.
[481 - 483] Now, if you're drooling at your screen right now,
[483 - 486] but aren't so sure about lye, I have a couple things to say.
[486 - 489] One, being in the kitchen is inherently dangerous.
[489 - 492] We use open flames, 500 degree ovens, sharp knives,
[492 - 494] and heavy and sharp machinery.
[494 - 497] We accept some degree of risk in order to eat well.
[497 - 499] Working safely with lye is no different.
[499 - 501] And using Andrea Geary's Fail-Proof Recipe and Safety Guide,
[501 - 504] again, link below, will get you there.
[504 - 506] And two, if you choose a lye free path,
[506 - 508] my longtime love, baking soda,
[508 - 509] will be right there with you.
[509 - 511] You've seen my episode on baking soda, right?
[511 - 512] Whatever you choose, I can say
[512 - 516] with certainty that this is how to eat pretzels.
[522 - 524] Thank you all so much for watching.
[524 - 525] I wanna say a big thanks (gentle string music)
[525 - 527] to Andrea Geary for the weeks
[527 - 528] and weeks of work she put
[528 - 530] into researching and testing and testing this recipe.
[530 - 533] Now, my big question for all of you is,
[533 - 534] are you gonna go lye?
[534 - 536] Are you gonna become a lye-r just like me?
[536 - 537] I really want to know.
[537 - 539] So let me know in the comments if you're Team Lye,
[539 - 541] if you'll never make these in a million years,
[541 - 543] or if you're gonna go baking soda.
[543 - 544] And then send pictures.
[544 - 546] I wanna see these things.
[546 - 546] All right, thanks a lot.
[546 - 548] We'll see you next time.