Laugenstangen, or Dunked Yeast Sticks and Pretzels

laugenstangen

So that's how I decided to try my luck making these sticks at home. I used to think it was pretty unlikely, because the sticks are also dunked in a special solution (Lauge, hence the name Laugenstangen). But it turns out you don't need any big science or complicated chemical solutions, just plain baking soda from your kitchen.

These sticks are not fluffy and tender like regular yeast dough. Their texture is rather dense and they are heavier. You can shape this dough into sticks, pretzels and rolls. You can sprinkle them with coarse salt, caraway seeds, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds. You can also bake them with cheese, or with cheese mixed with, for example, pieces of salami or hot dogs. They are a great bread to take on the road, and also for kids' breakfast at preschool or school.

The great advantage of this bread is how easy it is, and (compared to some yeast bakes) how quick. I encourage you to give it a try!

This is the first recipe for these sticks that I've tested. It comes from chefkoch.de. There you can also see what else you can make with them.

laugenbrezel

Instructions:

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt. Next, heat 260 ml of water, melt the butter in it and add the cold milk. The liquid should be warm, but not hot. Dissolve the yeast in it. Add everything to the flour and knead a fairly stiff dough. Cover the bowl and set aside for about 45 minutes, until the dough doubles in volume. Turn the dough out onto the counter, form it into a log and divide it into 24 equal pieces.

Meanwhile, bring the water (1.5 l) to a boil in a fairly large pot and add the baking soda (the water will foam up).

Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) for convection, or 180°C (350°F) for conventional top and bottom heat.

Shape the pieces of dough into sticks (or any shape you like). Put them two at a time into the gently bubbling baking soda solution and take them out as soon as they float to the surface (this takes about 5-10 seconds). Drain them and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once all the sticks have been dunked, sprinkle them with salt (optional) and score them crosswise about 1 cm deep. You can also cut them and sprinkle grated cheese, or cheese with pieces of salami, into the cuts.
Put the finished sticks into the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and let cool.

Enjoy!

Tip:
After baking, while the sticks are still hot, you can brush them lightly with water and sprinkle them with, for example, sunflower seeds.

laugenstange