Would you consider coming to a birthday where these soft pretzels with spicy beer cheese sauce are served? Even though said pretzels are not as soft, but just amazing-tasting, as the title implies they should be? And if that’s the case and you want to have options, and I tell you there are more than sixty other alternatives to choose from, would you come?
The Sunday Supper table made up of amazing bloggers that got me ankle deep into this magic world of food blogging, is celebrating it’s birthday number 1 with a party! And really, you would be crazy not to come.
After all, this is like the party that sums the usual party we have every Sunday, with a list of recipes taken from past events, each being made as is or with whatever modifications, by another fellow sunday supperer. Sort of a greatest hits album.
I made up my mind pretty quickly about choosing this recipe from Heather of Girlichef. She is a friend and an oh-so-talented baker. And baking is my thing.
Even if right now you’re thinking these pretzels don’t scream that baking is my thing, because they are not plump enough or soft enough, though how can you know how soft they are if you can’t touch them, but I can also tell they are not as soft as they should, baking is my thing.
The recipe is very straightforward and comes together quickly. I think I should’ve added more flour while kneading it. Rookie mistake.
I decided to do it in two batches, sort of a first batch to practice on. I’m glad I did, and you should be glad too since those first pretzels were too big, hardly pretzel-shaped, not golden enough and very unphotogenic. Oh, but they tasted good. Just like a salted pretzel should.
The second try came out as good as I can hope for given the fact that it’s my first time and don’t usually eat pretzels, except when I travel to NYC and think having one with mustard from a street cart to be an unavoidable thing to do in that city. Pretzels are not known here, they might be sold somewhere but I haven’t bumped into them yet.
As with any yeast dough that needs to be shaped, from a simple brioche a tete to a braided danish, practice is all you need. Don’t expect your first pretzel to be perfect.
A food blog comes in quite handy on that matter, because when I’m baking a new recipe I will try again and again until I have something that is worthy of a picture, though it might not be exactly what I want it will definitely be post worthy.
I made the pretzels following the original recipe, and changed the sauce just a bit to suit the fact that I was by myself and didn’t want to make another trip to the supermarket nor have a lot of extra sauce lying around.
These are so addictive with that perfect dipping sauce that’s almost like a spicy fondue, having so much of it would’ve meant having soft pretzels with spicy beer cheese sauce for every meal two days in a row, and I still want to fit in my bikini the rest of the summer. And I’m trying to eat healthier. Ha.
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Ingredients
- Soft pretzels (find recipe here)
For the sauce:
- ½ cup beer (I used Stella Artois)
- 2 Tbs sour cream
- 2 teaspoons minced pickled jalapeños
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (loosely packed)
- 1 garlic clove (peeled and cut in half)
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat beer in small saucepan.
- When it starts to bubble, add rest of ingredients and whisk until well combined.
- Let boil for 1 minute and serve with warm pretzels.
Heather Lynne says
January 20, 2013 at 01:07I'm such a fan of the soft pretzel. I've had this recipe pinned but I've yet to make the spicy beer cheese. I need to get on it!
David says
January 19, 2013 at 15:56Hi Paula, just come across your bog and I'm loving your simple twists on classics. This pretzel and beer sauce looking divine in these cold winter months.
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 23, 2013 at 02:54Thanks David!
german in pdx says
January 19, 2013 at 15:42Yes, I will definitively be at a party where there are pretzels and beer sauce :). Both look fantastic – and the pretzels are gorgeous ~ Bea
seetfei says
January 19, 2013 at 14:35Love these soft pretzels, they look delicious. I think it taste great enough even without dipping sauce too! Thank you Paula for sharing this recipe with us again, I guess I have missed it earlier by Heather.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
January 18, 2013 at 21:36I love that you called this week's Sunday Supper recipe offerings a "greatest hits" list. So awesome. And you don't give yourself enough credit – these pretzels look absolutely perfect. Exactly how I want my pretzels to look. I bet they tasted just as good too. Pretzels are on my bucket list – I'm pretty intimidated. But now that both you and Heather have made these, I'm feeling inspired to follow in your culinary footsteps. And hells yeah to the beer cheese sauce!
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
January 18, 2013 at 19:09Count me in. These pretzels look too darn good to pass up. Yum!
Kristina @ spabettie says
January 18, 2013 at 17:15YES PLEASE I want to attend this birthday! I love a good soft pretzel, Heather has a great recipe, and … that spicy cheese? perfect!