Mimi's Gourmet Pretzels

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 (1/4 ounce) dry yeast
• 1 egg (separated and saved)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (melted and cooled)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 1 (12 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and all moisture wrung out)
• 3/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 egg (beaten (approximately)
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 1/2 small garlic cloves, minced or 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup soft cream cheese spread
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam
• 1 cup fresh raspberry (optional)
• 3/4 cup soft cream cheese spread
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped sliced almonds
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling or 1 (21 ounce) can blueberry pie filling or 1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
• 3/4 cup soft cream cheese spread

Recipe

• 1 mix the yeast and warm water and let sit for a couple of minutes to proof.
• 2 separate the egg and set the egg aside.
• 3 mix the yolk, sugar, cooled milk, and salt together.
• 4 add the flour gradually to make a non-sticky dough.
• 5 knead for 5 minutes.
• 6 rise for 1 hour.
• 7 while rising make the filling--one batch of filling for 12 pretzels or 1/2 batch of two fillings for 12 pretzels--see below for instructions.
• 8 divide into 12 pieces.
• 9 roll each piece into a 2-foot rope that is pencil thin; flatten each rope so you can put the filling on.
• 10 place fillings in a baggie that you have cut a small hole in the bottom corner.
• 11 pipe the desired filling down the center of each flat rope and then bring edges up and seal back into a rope.
• 12 twist into a pretzel shape and --.
• 13 let rise for about 25 minutes.
• 14 bake at 425 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or till brown.
• 15 fillings:.
• 16 spinach--thaw and wring out and mix with other ingredients; place in baggie with rather large hole to pipe down center of pretzel.
• 17 raspberry--pipe cream cheese first and then pipe the jam; if desired put a few fresh raspberries down the center; if not it is good without them.
• 18 cream cheese/cinnamon--pipe cream cheese; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and sprinkle chopped almonds.
• 19 cherry--place contents of can in a bowl and rough chop; pipe cream cheese down center and then the pie filling.