Bretzel is a sweet Luxembourgish Pretzel made for Bretzelsonndeg (Pretzel Sunday), an Easter festivity on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This traditional sweet pretzel is made from puff pastry with icing and flaked almonds on top.
Luxembourgish tradition
Every year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which this year happens to be today, the 14th of March, the whole of Luxembourg celebrates Bretzelsonndeg which literally translates to Pretzel Sunday. The tradition calls that on this day man offer to their love interest or partner a sweet pastry pretzel. If this feeling is shared by the other person, on Easter he is gifted an Easter egg. Or else, he will be given the basket. Actually, there is a popular expression used in relation to this when someone is rejected by their love interest, de Kuerf kréien, to be given the basket. During leap years, as it was last year, the tradition is reversed and it’s the woman who offers their love interest a pretzel and wait to be gifted the Easter egg.
Although this is tradition, I’m not sure how many people still do this ritual. The pastry pretzels are so good that it’s even better getting them directly for yourself! Especially, as during the weeks close to this celebration, all the bakers will be displaying their bretzels in all sizes and toppings, which makes it difficult to resist. On the day, the city of Luxembourg is all decked to celebrate the day with bakers displaying the bretzels on decorated stalls. There is also a huge parade which takes place, and a Bretzel Queen is selected to distribute the scrumptious pastries.
The Bretzel
The savoury pretzel might be more popular, especially as it’s a symbol associated with Germany. However, the sweet bretzel is not to be slept on as it’s one to truly enjoy. During this time of year, even people from the neighbouring countries of Luxembourg tend to enjoy this delicious pastry.
A perfect flaky sweet puff pastry is shaped into a pretzel, as it symbolises the arm of two lovers intertwined together. To make it sweeter a delicious icing is drizzled on top of the pastry and a handful of flaked almonds is gently pressed on top. This is the most popular and traditional version of the bretzel, however, you can also find stuffed bretzels with cinnamon, others topped with chocolate, apricot jam, etc.
Making the Bretzel is slightly labour intensive if you will be making also the dough. However it will for sure be worth all the waiting and patience needed!
Puff pastry magic
The method to make the dough laminated with all that good butter in order to create all the glorious layers, needs patience and time. Before starting the recipe, make sure that you prepare your schedule and decide when you want to eat these pastries, so you won’t be disappointed.
First and foremost, you have to prepare the dough. Shape the dough into a 20cmx20cm square. Wrap the dough into wax paper and measure the sides to give it its shape. Roll the dough in the wax paper to fill the whole square equally, do this gently so that you don’t tear the wax paper. Put the dough in cling film and store the dough overnight in the fridge. Ideally you let the dough rest overnight so that the gluten gets to rest as much as it can.
Lamination of the dough
On the following day, using the same technique, shape the butter for lamination into the wax paper. This time it should measure 15cmx15cm. Place equally cut pieces of butter and wrap them in the wax paper. Gently pound them down so that the butter is equal on all sides. Roll it out until it’s smooth. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
While the butter is resting in the fridge, roll out the dough slightly. Don’t go further than 2 cm more than it’s original shape. Place the cooled butter diagonally on the dough and seal the dough tight over the butter so that no butter oozes out of the dough. You should close it as if it’s an envelope.
Roll out the dough lengthwise from one side only until it’s about 45cm long. This will be our first folding of the dough. Start by folding 3/4 of the dough on itself, fold the remaining 1/4 to meet the other piece of folded dough. Afterwards grab the longest side of the dough and fold it in half on top of itself. Gently press the dough down together, wrap it in cling film and let it rest for an hour.
For the second folding, you have to roll the dough out again to 45cm and fold it in three. Grab 1/3 of the dough and fold it, grab the remaining unfolded 1/3 of the dough and place it on top of the other two layers. Gently press the dough down again and let it rest in the fridge from 1 to 12 hours. The longer you let it rest, the fluffier and light the dough will be once it’s baked.
All that’s left is to shape your dough, do the final proofing, bake and enjoy!
Description of the timings I used to make this recipe
On Friday evening at around 7pm, I prepared the dough and let it rest overnight.
As I wanted to bake the bretzels on Saturday, so I started early in the morning. I started at around 8am and was ready with the whole lamination process at around 10:30am. Afterwards, I left the dough to rest for about 4 hours and then after shaping them I let them proof for 2 hours. I baked my bretzles at around 5pm and was ready by 6pm.
If you want to bake the pretzels on Sunday, I suggest that you start laminating the dough later on Saturday, and let it rise overnight. Afterwards, on Sunday morning start early by shaping and proofing the bretzels for 2 hours. Bake and enjoy fresh as a Sunday morning breakfast!
Bretzel – Sweet Luxembourgish Pretzel
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g bread flour T55
- 62 g sugar
- 150 g milk lukewarm
- 100 g water lukewarm
- 35 g soft butter cubed
- 10 g salt
- 8 g active dry yeast
For the lamination
- 275 g butter
Icing glaze
- 60 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 100 g almond flakes
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp whole milk
Instructions
Day 1
- In a small bowl mix together the lukewarm water, milk, yeast and 10g of the sugar. Set the mixture aside until it froths. This usually takes about 15 minutes.
- In a mixer fixed with a dough attachment, add the flour, salt and the remaining sugar. Mix well until the sugar and salt are evenly dispersed in the flour.
- Add the yeast mixture to the dry mixture and mix on the lowest setting for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Once the dough starts taking shape, gently add the cubed butter a piece at a time.
- As soon as all the butter is incorporated, switch to a medium setting on your mixer and mix for 10 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- After letting the dough rest, shape the dough into a 20cmx20cm square. Wrap the dough into wax paper and measure the sides to give it its shape. Roll the dough in the wax paper to fill the whole square equally, do this gently so that you don't tear the wax paper. Put the dough in cling film and store the dough overnight in the fridge.
Day 2
- Using the same technique as with the dough, shape the butter for lamination into the wax paper. This time it should measure 15cmx15cm. Place equally cut pieces of butter and wrap them in the wax paper. Gently pound them down so that the butter is equal on all sides. Roll it out until it's smooth. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- While the butter is resting in the fridge, roll out the dough slightly. Don't go further than 2 cm more than it's original shape.
- Place the cooled butter diagonally on the square shaped dough and seal the dough tight over the butter so that no butter oozes out of the dough. You should close it as if it's an envelope.
- Roll out the dough lengthwise from one side only until it's about 45cm long. This will be our first folding of the dough. Start by folding 3/4 of the dough on itself, fold the remaining 1/4 to meet the other piece of folded dough. Afterwards grab the longest side of the dough and fold it in half on top of itself. Gently press the dough down together, wrap it in cling film and let it rest for an hour.
- For the second folding, you have to roll the dough out again to 45cm and fold it in three. Grab 1/3 of the dough and fold it, grab the remaining unfolded 1/3 of the dough and place it on top of the other two layers. Gently press the dough down again and let it rest in the fridge from 1 to 12 hours. The longer you let it rest, the fluffier and light the dough will be once it’s baked.
Day 2 or 3 (this depends on how long you will let your laminated dough rest)
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the laminated dough to 50cm by 25cm long rectangle. Cut lengthwise 10 strips, 50cm x 2.5cm.
- Roll each strip on itself, tight it up lightly, and form into a pretzel shape. To get the pretzel shape twist the strip in a loop and intertwine the ends together. Then fold the ends under the loop side and gently press it down to secure it.
- Place the pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. It's important to give them ample of space between one another as they will rise and expand. I suggest using two different large baking trays. Give the pretzels their first light egg wash, cover and let them rest for 2 hours in a warm place.
- While the pretzels are resting, preheat the oven to 200°C or 390°F.
- As soon as they are ready to be baked, give them another gentle egg wash. Bake the pretzels for about 7 minutes, as soon as they get their golden hue, lower your oven to 180°C or 350°F, and let them cook for another 8 minutes.
- Once done, let the pretzels cool on the baking sheet for some minutes before removing.
- As soon as they cool down, mix the icing sugar with the water, and drizzle it on top. Before it starts to set, sprinkle the flaked almonds on top and gently press them down so that they stick.
- Enjoy your hard earned bretzel with some coffee and give another to someone you love 🙂
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create!
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They look so amazing🤩 So well done, my dear! 🤗
Thank you so much ❤️