Bread, glorious bread! Fresh baked and warm, or as a sneaky snack later on, we love the stuff - but sometimes it can get a little, well, stale, if you'll pardon the pun. So we've introduced a new... twist (okay, okay, I'll stop) - matcha pretzels! Matcha works really well with soft, sweet breads and pretzels, and we love this recipe with its distinctive ‘sweet and salty’ taste.

Makes 10-12 pretzels

Ingredients

  • 450g (1lb) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 7g (1⁄4oz) fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp matcha powder 125ml (4fl oz) warm water 125ml (4fl oz) milk
  • 2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • sea salt crystals 
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • sea salt crystals
  • toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Method

  1. Put the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and 1 tablespoon of the bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl and mix together. Make a well in the centre.
  2. Whisk the matcha powder into the warm water until it is smooth and free of lumps. Pour into the flour mixture with the milk and add the softened butter. Mix together until you have a soft, smooth dough.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 5–10 minutes until it becomes elastic, silky in texture and doesn’t stick to your fingers.
  4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled clean bowl, then cover and set aside for 1–2 hours until it has doubled in size. There’s no need to put it in a warm place – leave it at room temperature.
  5. Knock the dough back and knead briefly, then cut it into 10–12 equal- sized pieces. Using your hands, stretch each piece out and roll into
    a sausage shape with the ends slightly slimmer than the middle. Cross the ends over each other and then fold them up and over     a sausage shape with the ends slightly slimmer than the middle. Cross the ends over each other and then fold them up and over into the centre of the loop to make a classic pretzel shape (see the photograph opposite). Leave them for 30 minutes to rise and puff up a little.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.
  7. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the remaining bicarbonate of soda. Add the pretzels, a few at a time, and boil for 20 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the baking trays. Brush with beaten egg and then sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until golden brown and firm. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Fancy more matcha baking inspiration? 

 

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