Why Do You Boil Pretzels in Baking Soda? - Uncle Henry's Pretzel Bakery (2024)

FAQs

Why Do You Boil Pretzels in Baking Soda? - Uncle Henry's Pretzel Bakery? ›

After you boil the pretzels in the baking soda water, you place them in the oven. The heat from the oven interacts with the baking soda molecules coating the pretzels. This causes the molecules to react with one another, increasing the alkalinity of the outside of the pretzel.

Furthermore, we've introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior.

Baking soda on its own has a high pH, of course, but the boiling water will boost the alkalinity further. “When you add baking soda to boiling water, sodium bicarbonate breaks down into three compounds: sodium carbonate, water, and carbon dioxide,” says Sharma.

A baking soda bath is actually a cheat for at home pretzel makers, it's used instead of lye, which can be a bit dangerous to handle if you aren't a professional in that area. This is what gives pretzels that dark, shimmering outer crust.

Heating baking soda makes it transform from sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, which is a stronger alkaline salt. Baked baking soda is useful for applications in which a strong alkaline salt is required, such as in making ramen noodles.

Parboiling (partially boiling) the potatoes helps to soften them, reducing the overall baking time. It also ensures that the potatoes cook evenly during baking. Additionally, boiling can enhance the texture of the potatoes, making them fluffier on the inside while still achieving a crispy exterior when baked.

Boiling breads like bagels and pretzels effectively sets the crust before it goes in the oven. The water doesn't actually penetrate very far into the bread because the starch on the exterior quickly gels and forms a barrier. Bagels are typically boiled for 30-60 seconds on each side.

Meanwhile, the alkaline water helps the exteriors of the potatoes break down more, creating much more of the starchy slurry that leads to an extra-crisp exterior. About a half teaspoon of baking soda for two quarts of water was the right amount.

The boiling point of baking soda is 851° Celsius. The melting point of baking soda is 50° Celsius. The element ratio of Sodium to Oxygen to Hydrogen to Carbon is 1:3:1:1.

Baking Soda + Boiling Water Pretzel Bath

Turn it down to a simmer. Slowly pour in your baking soda and whisk until completely dissolved. Dip your pretzels in the bath using a slotted spoon for 30 seconds, flipping once during this time. Drain and place back onto your greased parchment lined baking sheets.

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

But it's the distinctive "pretzel" flavor that makes this bread extraordinary. That comes from dipping the shaped dough in an alkaline solution — traditionally a small amount of food-grade lye dissolved in water — before baking.

Its origin is often attributed to Germany, specifically to the region of Bavaria, although its precise beginnings are somewhat debated. The pretzel was invented by European monks in the early Middle Ages, possibly in the 6th or 7th century.

The area roughly considered to constitute the Pretzel Belt, identified with Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Pennsylvania in general produces 80% of the pretzels consumed in the United States, with many of the top producers located in York County alone.

Key Takeaways. Baking soda can lighten gray hair as well as prevent white hair discoloration and remove impurities but should be used cautiously due to the potential for dryness and fragility in gray hair.

Baking soda is a leavening agent used in baked goods like cakes, muffins, and cookies. Formally known as sodium bicarbonate, it's a white crystalline powder that is naturally alkaline, or basic (1).

If you use baking soda instead of lye, you won't get the same glistening, deep brown sheen on your pretzels and baked goods, but they'll still be delicious all the same.

Baking soda makes the water more alkaline, giving the bagels a pretzel-like quality that contributes to their chewiness. Just one teaspoon helps the bagels develop a shiny, dark-brown exterior as they bake. One thing to keep in mind: Keep the water bath at a constant simmer.

In this case, we are using baking soda specifically for its alkalinity. When we dunk our pretzel dough into a boiling baking soda bath, the change in pH creates ideal conditions for the always-magical Maillard browning!

Lye has a pH of around 13 whereas baking soda has a pH of around 8. This extra alkalinity accelerates the Maillard reaction, allowing that caramelization to develop on the exterior of the pretzels. That ultra-deep color and slightly crispy, crunchy exterior crust is only made possible with lye.