Bavarian soft pretzels (safely) bathed in caustic soda

Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/ragusea to get 20% off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows. Offers subject to change. #helixsleep
**RECIPE, MAKES FOUR BIG PRETZELS**
1.5 cups (355mL) water for the dough
1.5 teaspoons dry yeast
1-2 teaspoons sugar, honey, barley syrup, etc.
1-2 teaspoons coarse salt inside the dough
bread flour (about 650g, 4.5 cups, but I don't measure)
crunchy finishing salt for the top (I used Maldon smoked sea salt)
5 cups (1.2 liters) water for the lye bath
1/4 cup (70g) food-grade sodium hydroxide (buy it off the internet and be careful with it)
To make the dough, combine the water, yeast, sugar and salt with as much flour as you can stir in. Let it sit 15 minutes to autolyse, after which it will be much easier to knead in the remaining flour - enough to give you a dough that is just barely sticky. Cover and let rise in the refrigerator overnight (better flavor that way) or a couple hours on the counter.
Pull the risen dough out to a cutting board and cut it into four quarters. Smash each quarter down flat and roll it into a log. Cover and let rest for about 15 minutes to let the gluten relax and they'll be easier to shape. Now is when I would get the oven heating to 450ºF/230ºC.
On a clean, un-floured counter, roll each log out into a long, thin snake, leaving the center "belly" thick. Pull the ends toward you to make a U shape, fold the "arms" over each other twice, them back toward the belly and seal the tips on either side of the belly. (Just watch the video.) Once shaped, try to get them bathed and baked before they get a chance to puff up more.
To make the lye bath, pour the five cups (1.2mL) of water into a wide, heat-safe, chemically nonreactive vessel - I used a pyrex baking dish. (Not all dishes marketed as pyrex are heat-safe - get the ones that are sold for baking, not just storage.)
The sodium hydroxide is dangerously caustic, so put on latex gloves sold for use with caustic cleaning products - I get them from the cleaning section of the grocery store. Carefully measure out the hydroxide and slowly sprinkle it into the water while gently stirring - it tends to cake up if you pour it in too fast, plus you don't want to splash. As the hydroxide dissolves, there will be an exothermic reaction that creates heat - probably not much at this relatively low concentration, but you'll notice the water getting hot, and you might need to let it cool down a minute before you can touch it through your gloves.
Using your gloved hands, submerge the pretzels in the bath for about 10 seconds each. Drain thoroughly and transfer to baking sheets - two pretzels per sheet, probably. I find the easiest way to remove them from the bath without stretching them is to gather them up in both hands - they won't stick to themselves anymore after the lye gelatinizes the surface of the dough.
If you get a little lye on your skin, wash it off as soon as possible, but don't freak out - this is a relatively weak solution that will probably only cause minor skin irritation if you wash it off promptly. And if the instructions on your bottle of sodium hydroxide differ from anything I've told you, go with what the bottle says - I'm simply following the instructions on my bottle.
Once dipped and drained, sprinkle crunchy salt over the pretzels and use a knife to score the belly of each pretzel - this will look pretty and allow the belly to expand more in the oven and get fluffy. Bake until deep mahogany all over - mine took about 15 minutes. During the bathing and baking process, all of the hydroxide on the pretzels should react with the dough and atmosphere to become harmless.
To dispose of the lye bath, get your faucet running into your kitchen sink and slowly drizzle the lye down the drain - the fresh water from your tap will dilute the lye and make it safer. The lye is essentially weak drain cleaner.
This can all be a little scary, but remember that German grandmas have been doing this at home for generations. Be careful and you'll probably be fine.

[@aragusea]

Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/ragusea to get 20% off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows. Offers subject to change. #helixsleep

[@monadolifesaver5613]

I just noticed this was a new one.

[@monadolifesaver5613]

Is there any type of glove people allergic to latex can use? Asking since I know someone with the issue in my close family.

[@bethanymcmurtrey9542]

Adam, how many Helix products do you own and how do you shoot the footage? You rarely reuse footage during your ads and you seem to unpack a new mattress every ad. What do you do with the other mattresses? Or is it all the same mattress you pack up after each shoot and unpack again for another?

[@Furluge]

So I have to ask. Given all the effort, which would you rather make, this pretzel or your previous pretzel? Is the juice worth the squeeze here?

[@mummer7337]

Helix supporting the Ragussy

[@alexandre4953]

I'm a chemist that works almost daily with caustic soda and another advice that I give is: if you feel your hand a little soapy, wash it. It's the caustic soda reacting with the oils in your hand and making soap. Also don't use aluminum, it will react with the caustic soda and could even eat trough it.

[@elekbuday81]

Important to note that a product of that aluminum reaction is hydrogen gas, which is flammable

[@yes-zb2fb]

​@@elekbuday81 and thats how you make a bottle bomb

[@spyman1482]

What’s your thought on him saying rinse it off if you get the powder on your skin? Nursing school has told me that you likely would want to brush it off (in a safe location) first so that the water you would rinse with doesn’t create more of a reaction.

[@swedneck]

@@spyman1482 Thing is that it's a very small amount and you're *rinsing* it off, so the water is just going to remove the lye before it has time to react more on your skin.

[@alexandre4953]

@@spyman1482 honestly? It's not that dangerous a small amount and the volume of water would easily compensate for the heat almost instantly

[@surfnerder]

Sorry to be extra specific here, but I'm German so I can't help myself: The thicker "belly" and crispy thin "arms" is typical for the swabian "Brezel" whereas the bavarian "Brez'n" is rather uniform in thickness. The bavarian version is also less fatty and isn't cut along the "belly" before baking. Among German hardcore pretzel fans there is an ongoing debate on which version was invented first and / or is the superior pretzel. That being said: Even most Germans don't care, both are delicious!

[@baloonman5]

Strangely in his last pretzel video he said that Bavarian pretzels are more uniform and Swabian pretzels have fat bellies and skinny arms. I wonder if this was a slip of the tongue, or a script error of some kind

[@surfnerder]

@@baloonman5 Though I'm a fan of the swabian version I have to admit: Outside Germany Bavaria is the poster boy of pretzel baking. This might be the reason he chose the title.

[@Ginkoman2]

There is no discussion. the original is also the best: The Swabian Brezel

[@mr.random3943]

Just to add: Yes it's true the origin of the Brezel (the form) is debated, but the origin of the lye-dough is pretty much accepted to be originally swabian nowadays.

[@Jesus-42]

We in Bavaria definitely don't have the thin crispy arms, but we do definitely have the thicker belly. At least in Franconia, I never ate a Brezn without the thicker belly, but yes, the arms are most definitely thicker and not tiny crispy strands And if I remember correctly, most if not every Brezn I've had, had this cut along the belly. Maybe in the purest traditional recipe there is no cut, but most bakery's in Bavaria definitely do this cut as well

[@LAK_770]

I worked as a baker at a high-volume soft pretzel shop in Philly through college. We indeed called the NaOH "the caustic" (in a heavy Philly accent) and had huge drums of it with which we would replenish a giant boiling vat for the pre-bake lye wash. Let's just say that OSHA didn't have a heavy hand in our workplace. We wore heavy boots, nitrile gloves, goggles, and masks, but it only did so much when you're rushing to bake and lye is splashing all over the place. Meanwhile, temperatures directly next to the giant industrial oven regularly exceeded 160F. Don't forget the salt dust in the air at all times. Loved that job, the hours just flew by and our boss paid well. I developed fluent Spanish working with my Ecuadorian buddies there, though much of it was filthy. Wherever you are, Manuel and Pedro, espero que estén bien, y chingan tus madres.

[@OmniversalInsect]

That description is giving me breaking bad vibes

[@Checkmate1138]

Jajajajaja 🤣

[@coryman125]

10/10 comment

[@Draconic_Aura]

lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@TRACTOOOOOOOOOR]

Nice closing line. True Spanish speaking friends right there 10/10

[@craoun6116]

As a chemist I have to say, I really appreciate the safety part. Caustic substances are no joke, especially if you get them splashed in your eyes. So PLEASE, in addition to wearing the mentioned gloves, also wear eye protection, like goggles or at least glasses like Adam. You do not have a protective layer of skin on your eyeballs, so if you get any lye in there, it could cause irreversible damage in a matter of seconds.

[@ItsMrBozToYou]

Honestly, get goggles anyway. Getting tears from cutting onions is lame. They're probably the most used non-kitchen item I use for food prep.

[@noahleach7690]

You can chew gum to prevent the eye irritation for onions too

[@Jennifer-pk4wq]

also, if you have, turn on the kitchen fume extractor

[@noahleach7690]

@@Jennifer-pk4wq what’re the dangerous gaseous bi-products from the reaction? Google says there aren’t any…

[@kiryowtk2869]

​@@noahleach7690there are none but I think he meant for like frying onions or smthing

[@tuatha1337]

Great vid! Just a safety note for those trying at home. The order of operations with creating the lye bath is extremely important. The sodium hydroxide should be poured into the water (as Adam did in the video), and not the other way around. The large mass of water acts like a heat sink to allow the sodium hydroxide to dissolve safely. DO NOT pour water onto sodium hydroxide by putting the sodium hydroxide into the pyrex and pouring water over it! The first few drops of water that hit the lye will dissolve the sodium hydroxide so quickly that the exothermic reaction may cause those droplets to flash to steam in a small explosion, potentially spraying you with concentrated lye solution.

[@michaelgoldsmith3534]

"Do as you oughtah, add caustic to watuh"

[@ryanjohnson4565]

No. Do as you otter, add the acid to the water.

[@herpderp4078]

@@ryanjohnson4565 NaOH is a base tho

[@chelarestelar]

​@@herpderp4078still, the saying applies to both

[@raraavis7782]

I'm 42 and still remember the helpful little rhyme, our chemistry teacher used, to make us remember that 😅. 'Tu nicht das Wasser in die Säure, sonst geschieht das Ungeheure!'. Roughly translates as 'Don't put water in acid, or terrible things will happen!' Also true for lye, it seems... weirdly enough, I remember nothing about that...

[@graendread1704]

One very important detail: ALWAYS add the NaOH into the water, not the other way around! (Adam did this correctly, but could have pointed it out). The exothermic reaction could heat the water up so fast that it immediately starts boiling and splashing - possibly into your face or eye.

[@noahleach7690]

Hopefully not a risk with the low quantities of the reactants but yh he probably could’ve mentioned it lol

[@coopercummings8370]

@@noahleach7690 The volumes don't matter with this operation, you always have to add a concentrated base or acid to water not the other way around, because if you do the reverse the small amount of water that reaches the solute first will be superheated and boil instantly, which will send hot acid/base and possibly also some of the still solid crystals flying in all directions

[@CHoustonify]

I can imagine they're a lot of work compared to just watching over the shoulder videos, but I really enjoyed having a small science aside with Adam's Face in this video, and wouldn't complain if it happened more often.

[@wylanvallotton4462]

Why does this comment feel computer generated?

[@nram3930]

​@@wylanvallotton4462 that's most likely because it is written by a guy using his full name as the name and with a photo which won't shame any stock photo described as "generic white guy sitting at desk" (no offense) Couple that with competent grammar, lack of online lingo, and a sincere request from the creator to result in a comment that looks a lot like a template. Put simply, it's probably just not as cynical a comment as you're used to.

[@CheekyPseudonym]

Check out his video about dry aging meats

[@coryman125]

@@nram3930 Hello! I am writing in to say that I concur with the sentiments expressed within your comment, and appreciate your rational appraisal of the situation. Comments like these are very constructive towards conversation on this website. Kind regards, Not A. Bot

[@Coolbillion]

I could actually imagine they are less work, as there's fewer shots to set up and edit. I also really liked the demonstration and explanations in this video though.

[@bethkleimenhagen9351]

Really appreciate the attention to safety in this video and the pretzels look delicious! A fun note from my time in chem lab: strong base will etch glassware if stored for a while, so make sure you dispose of the lye solution shortly after you use it! (Don't try to save the lye bath for another day, you will ruin your pyrex pan)

[@SILVERF0X13]

Had no plans on storing strong bases, but still good to know that it is capable of etching glassware. Didn't know that one.

[@bethkleimenhagen9351]

@@SILVERF0X13 IDK who'd want to store a vat of caustic lye either but just in case, right?

[@giancahe8202]

Didn't know about strong base etching glass, what's the mechanism behind it? I could guess that usually a very miniscule amount of the SiO2 dissolves in a way similar to other non-metal oxides and forms an acid, but usually immediatly goes out of solution, but with the strong base this H2SiO4 doesn't get the chance to turn back into SiO2. But I've never heard of H2SiO4 or SiO4 salt, this is just a guess

[@bethkleimenhagen9351]

@@giancahe8202 Good question! I had to look that one up. Can't post sources on KZbin because links are flagged as spam, but from what I can find, looks like NaOH reacts with SiO2 to form Na2SiO3 (called "waterglass"). Waterglass is soluble to a degree in water. Its formation and subsequent dissolution leads to the cloudy appearance of glassware that has been etched by base.

[@bnh7274]

Adam: Don't deep fry at home - it is not safe Also Adam: Pretzels with caustic soda? Why not!

[@walterw2]

to be fair, i think that one was more "don't deep fry at home, it ain't worth the cleanup and the smell"

[@herpderp4078]

to be fair if you spill a full quart of hot oil on yourself you'll wind up looking like Anakin Skywalker, but if you spill diluted lye water on you you'll probably just look sunburned

[@kiryowtk2869]

​@@herpderp4078This, chemical burns aren't really scarier than normal burns and usually we work with bigger volumes of super hot shit rather than super corrosive shit

[@unit--ns8jh]

@@kiryowtk2869 Corrosive Shit is a great name for old school death metal band 🤔

[@tasmanmillen]

@@herpderp4078the issue isn’t with the diluted lye, but with the sodium hydroxide crystals. If that gets on your skin, or even worse in your eyes, then it can be much worse than hot oil.

[@Felix-ve9hs]

You could also shape and fold the pretzel dough after cutting it into quaters without letting it rise, put them in a freezer right away, and an hour later take the frozen pretzels and dip them in the base. After taking them out put them on a wire rack and when the dough stops dripping, put them in the oven to bake. This at least is what one bakery I did an internship in a couple years back did as far as I remember.

[@boowompthecat]

surely the remaining caustic soda on the pretzels would melt through a wire rack...?

[@holocene5451]

​@@boowompthecat There's not much lye left after dipping them and it also reacts with and soaks into the dough. I can't believe you'd cause any damage to a stainless steel oven rack. The bakery I worked at as a summer job had a machine with a rack/grid drawer that you placed the pretzels on and then pushed into the machine to apply the coating. The trays for baking had some kind of coating though, maybe because of the lye.

[@layzy24]

Bake them while still on the wire rack? Or did you transfer to a sheet pan with paper?

[@Hybridsixtynine]

@@layzy24 the latter

[@holocene5451]

@@layzy24 They were baked on trays, but without baking paper. The trays had some coating though I think

[@damian2159]

Now, the big advantage of living in southern Germany is that you can quite cheaply buy "Brezeln", as they're called where I live, freshly baked and hand-made in any small bakery where they still bake themselves from scratch and with their hands. Therefore, I'll probably not do them myself, because there isn't really need to do so. However, I never really knew how pretzels actually are made, so this still was an interesting video for me👍

[@undertakernumberone1]

at least in Bavaria, it's "Breze" or "Brezn". Not Brezeln.

[@sindbad8411]

Unfortunetely nowadays they often ship deep frozen pre baked Laugengebäck (not only pretzel but rolls and Croissants too) aka lyed backing goods via airfreight from the baltic countries, saving on labor costs. I learned that years ago when working on fair grounds and convention centers in Munich, Nuremberg and Frankfurt Advanced tip: cut the baked pretzel in half horizontely and add butter to make it a next level butter pretzel!

[@Hybridsixtynine]

@@sindbad8411 While you are at it, add not only butter but a cold cut like salami or ham. Childhood dish right there.

[@devonsharpe9909]

Ok bot

[@damian2159]

@@undertakernumberone1 Yes, but where I live, it's "Brezeln". Not Bavaria, but Baden-Württemberg, which also is in the south of Germany.

[@fomocorox1989]

That shot of you in bed snacking on an enormous pretzel is how you ensure that people watch your ads. That is a pro level move

[@76jmlaw]

two more items of safety worth emphasizing: 1) a glass dish is best, but do not use aluminum! stainless steel is preferable if you do not have glass. 2) it might also be advisable to wear some eye protection (goggles, not safety glasses) while dealing with the lye - I heard lye can be particularly bad to our eyes

[@sapphireseptember]

Earlier today I was watching a Royalty Soaps video where Katie was saying exactly that! I'm guessing that the solution here was much weaker than the one she uses for soap making, but I still wouldn't want to risk it.

[@ryanjohnson4565]

Our eyes have a defense mechanism for acids, but not bases!

[@whatshouldmyhandlebe123]

As a Bavarian that grew up right next to a traditional small town bakery, I commend you for making this video and potentially drawing the ire of Brez'n fanatics. And I must say, they look pretty solid. We usually use square-ish salt kernels instead of flakes, but otherwise very good 👍🏻

[@layzy24]

What is a Bavarian? Small town in Germany I'm presuming. 🤔

[@danofthehour4822]

​@@layzy24 Bavaria is an area of Germany

[@lunited1410]

@@danofthehour4822 Bavaria is the biggest state in germany, it's kinda like the texas of germany in that way, southern, big and conservative haha

[@Hybridsixtynine]

@@lunited1410 The conservatives are growing old though. Soon they will be gone and we can modernise this shithole of a country.

[@dougdrummonds7406]

@@layzy24 as others said, Bavaria is a state in Southern Germany (where Munich is located). When you think of a stereotypical German with lederhosen, it’s actually Bavarian culture!

[@Jesus-42]

Fun fact: In Bavaria we have a similar tradition as the Italians with their Cappuccino It is customary to eat white sausage with Pretzels, sweet mustard and Weizen (Wheat Beer) *before* 12PM Getting drunk before midday is why I am a Bavarian 👌

[@gerriebell2128]

My brother lives in Germany near Nuremberg. My favorite breakfast when I visit is weisswurst and pretzel. Hefeweizen beer too.

[@Jesus-42]

@@gerriebell2128 lovely, that's exactly what the tradition says! I love it as well, but heartbreakingly I have to admit, I often have it as lunch What Weizen do you normally have? Maisels, Mönchshof,...?

[@Carol-Bell]

@@Jesus-42 I don’t know, my brother just says it’s “Weißwurst.” Many years ago on my first visit, they took me to Munich, to a restaurant across the street from the Opera Haus- that was my first Weißwurst and Pretzel breakfast. I don’t know which kind of Pretzel it was, either. I grew up near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and when I would take the bus to visit my grandmother in the city, we used to buy soft pretzels from a cart on the street. That is when I first fell in love with them.

[@oskarileikos]

What about obazda? The cream cheese type of thing? I've eaten pretzels with obazda and slices of red onion whilst staying in München with my German friends

[@Jesus-42]

@@Carol-Bell that's really cool, nice to hear German culture appreciated! I was actually wondering if you remember the brand of the beer, not the type of sausage, I think even the most Bavarian People couldn't tell you the Brand of the sausage ;D

[@Michael-uo8yv]

Why I chemical burn my arm instead of my pretzel

[@schwarzermoritz]

You've definitely reached the advanced level of pretzel making here Adam. Respect. The finer distinctions between Bavarian vs Swabian already made here are on point, just wanted to add two things. One obvious: these are way too large. Much closer to the giant Oktoberfest Brezn, which are absolutely a thing. Think county fair novelty food. Your typical everyday Brezn is half the size of yours, if that. It easily fits into one hand. Which also makes them much easier to dip! The second is dough and consistency. You're right, brezn go in the oven underproof compared to a roll or bread. Along with that traditional brezn are not soft and fluffy. They have a very fine crumb, small bubbles, lots of snap and bite. I think I'm repeating myself, but I've settled on a slightly simplified version of the Kruste and Krumme Recipe. The technique is flawless and the result is authentic to the bone, even though they're Austrian. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4PMk4ebeNSqn9U they achieve the texture with a mix of very fine and "white" wheat and rye flower, among other things.

[@layzy24]

Why are most comments saying brezn? What is that?

[@layzy24]

Also, what are the key main points, tldr, the guy said in the video? I tried turning on the subtitles but no English and I don't speak his language. 🙏🏼

[@dstarfire42]

@@layzy24 That's the original german word. pronounced "bretzen". when they originally came over to America the pronunciation gradually changed to the "pretzel" we're all familiar with. At least, that's what I learned from watching a german bakers youtube video about these (and he noted how silly he felt saying "pretzels")

[@layzy24]

@@dstarfire42 do share the video. I'm in the mood for a chuckle.

[@Lukas-bg4yn]

@@dstarfire42 The Standard German term is Brezel, but they say Brezn in Bavaria.

[@TvMaNightmareHD]

Perfect timing, I was just getting bored

[@autumnj6246]

And craving pretzels all week!

[@tdl487]

Those pretzels look awesome! I've made some before but with regular baking soda because I was too afraid to use lye. Yours looks 1000% times better than mine did. Glad the burn wasn't too bad. It made me nervous on your last podcast when you said you were going to give yourself a burn to show the effects. Very educational and I'm thankful for the demonstration. Would be cool if you could do a traditional mustard recipe to go along with it. I find that it's kinda funny that the pair(pretzels and mustard) traditional have very chemical reactive processes to make them.

[@olenickel6013]

Mustard on pretzels is a bit of an American thing though, not traditional.

[@87karci]

Hi Adam. Sodium hydroxide actually reacts with glas. It's not a fast reaction, but I've seen a concentrated solution of NaOH eating away thin layers of Pyrex borosilicate glass. That's why NAOH solutions are always stored in plastic bottles in the lab.

[@DasNichts79]

Theres a good bit of germans in the comments that try to amend this recipe, but I have to say: these look just like the ones always sold at traditional markets in Germany! I really love these, and I think you did a great job! No real point in trying to correct a recipe that has a million different ways to make it traditionally imo. Also, if you simply dipped the unrolled dough into the acid without folding them (and still scoring them of course) you would get 'Laugenstangen'! Might be a more practical version of this dish to make those instead if you don't feel like trying to knot dough.

[@MagicTurtle643]

That mustard globbed pretzel chunk at the end made me insanely hungry.

[@phelanii4444]

A really good Brezel, still warm from the oven with a bit of butter is just perfect! I've never had em till I moved to Germany, south-west to be specific (BaWü) and they are definitely one of my favourite baked wares now!

[@dr.kraemer]

the process with the baking dish and gloves feels more approachable than previous methods I've seen. thanks!

[@gaboversta2.423]

my dad makes pretzels every weekend (in Lower Saxony, the complete opposite side of Germany) and having fresh Pretzels, even if not so photogenic is really great. As I don't live with my parents anymore I rarely have Pretzels, I'll need to learn this…

[@keshavwagle3530]

I actually really loved the segment of the video that was a little more unscripted about how to properly treat the Lye solution. Probably because I also enjoy your podcast a great deal, but I would definitely be excited to see more of those types of segments in the future!

[@glowickidillon1686]

I must say, I’ve seen a lot of videos from many content creators. Adam Ragusea has by far, the best ad lead ins of anyone on KZbin.

[@iamethan2153]

I’ve been working with NaOH for the past 2 weeks in the lab in my Gen Chem class. Strange seeing it show up again on this channel of all places haha.

[@mummer7337]

Thanks Ragussy, I've been looking for a good pretzel recipe.

[@General12th]

RAGUSSY

[@iamethan2153]

Never say Ragussy again I can’t handle it

[@simonipiponi]

As a Bavarian I’m happy to report you did really well Adam!

[@brookstarkington]

“For all I know I’m dead now.” Got a good lol from me.

[@InsaneCaliber]

Fantastic videos, I love the teaching element baked in to your dishes 😀

[@xTobsecretx]

I see yeast, I’m happy. The reason NYC pretzels suck is bc they all use only baking soda. I’m from Bavaria where we eat lots of pretzels so this recipe is much appreciated! Surfnerd is right, traditional Bavarian pretzels have uniform thickness and aren’t cut but these look delicious either way! Can’t wait to try it myself!

[@blackmber]

Do you mean they use baking soda instead of yeast, or instead of lye? Or both?

[@xTobsecretx]

@@blackmber instead of yeast!

[@sputnik7243]

echt, aus welcher gegend kommst du?

[@xTobsecretx]

@@sputnik7243 glei um'd Eckn vo Hinterdupfing

[@sputnik7243]

@@xTobsecretx wos bedietet des?

[@MrPotatoPro]

If any of you have latex allergies, nitrile gloves are the better alternative. You should also use safety goggles when handling crystalline NaOH beads, as caustic dust is common. Furthermore, with the 70g of NaOH to 1.2L of water, the solution has a molarity of approximately 1.458, and it is advisable to wear splash proof goggles when handling. I'd also suggest doing the dissolution step outside, or in the sink with a cold water bath surrounding it. The heat generated can form small amounts of caustic vapour that will irritate your airways.

[@ramonafrombarcelona]

As another chemist, glass does react with strong bases such as sodium hydroxide but slowly, which means dont't let the solution sit, and I'd advice against storing it just to be safe (avoid someone coming in contact with it). Also, when disposing you can add some vinegar to dilute it as you drain it. Happy cooking! Thanks Adam for sharing this recipe and how to do it safely

[@greentjmtl]

I'm very happy to hear the final hydration ratio in your recent videos, makes it much easier for us lazy people who just throw everything in the stand mixer

[@layzy24]

He did eye ball the flour you know.

[@greentjmtl]

@@layzy24 Ballpark is fine, these things aren't an exact science for home cooking anyway.

[@layzy24]

@@greentjmtl but you worded it in a way that sounded like your word was bond. Factual one would say, alas.

[@TheAmazingKoki]

I just love how it's possible to have something in your cupboard that's labeled as food-grade poison.

[@bellenesatan]

i mean, 4 heaping tablespoons of salt is what it takes to kill an adult man 🤣

[@Eclyptical]

I didn't think i'd be able to taste it at first, but using beer instead of water for the dough actually really adds a lot to the flavor of pretzels in my experience.

[@Ottersauce]

I got so got by the ad. Love the way you switch from ad to content. Its quite smooth.

[@KrazeeHouse]

I just watched your video on soft pretzels, then got curious on the salt you used, found your podcast episode about salt, and just paused your outlook to watch yet another pretzel video. ... I think I'm hooked. ... still gonna salt everything I eat

[@viclarson2968]

Dude I lowkey LOVED the angles on this episode! Especially at 5:30. It felt like Adam was a really cool science teacher 😄

[@coryman125]

Agreed! The way he broke the usual flow of his videos made the point about safety that much more memorable, and then he subtly switched to more of a science presenter style of video rather than a food show style. Really adds a lot

[@KalebPeters99]

​@@coryman125 Yeah that part stuck out to me as well. Really tasteful, Adam 👌

[@Sugarzomb]

I rather prefer the bavarian style Brezel, but something I really love, is when bakeries use caraway seeds in their dough. I can't say if this is a very local thing (it wasn't a white Brezel, as some websites suggest) So my most favourite Brezel version is the one with caraway seeds inside. But pretzel sticks (Laugenstangerl) which are plain (salt only) are really really great. especially when being able to eat it with butter and slices of some hard sausage!

[@thecashier930]

I mostly see carroway seeds in/on Austrian pretzels. That being said, I really don't get peoples enthusiasm for carroway. Not really my taste.

[@danlawler670]

This guy has gotten more beds and other furniture than any other KZbinr I watch.

[@anthropomorphisis]

Your ad reads are straight up the best in the game.

[@captcan78]

As mentioned by others... The Pretzels with the thick (cut) belly and crisp arms are not Bavarian style, but Swabian style. Traditionally eaten with lot's of butter

[@noahwilliams1264]

Even If I get serious chemical burns, the excellent browning and flavor will be worth it…

[@benjaminburt4285]

I love how you shot the "safety section" of the video! Interrupting the normal KZbin narration flow and changing the camera angles to a "behind the scenes" real look was a cool decision

[@boennna]

Really interesting video 😊 I’m a chemist, and one thing I think you might need to clarify more is that your skin is important to protect. I wouldn’t use a T-shirt when doing this so you have a barrier. I would also recommend eye protection. Lye reacts with fat to make soap, and your eyes have a lot of fat in them. I remember the lab technicians an uni always begged us to be careful around lye solution. It apparently happens very fast if you get it in your eyes…

[@NearFromHome]

Incredible! I’ve been waiting on a Bavarian video from you for ages! I knew it wouldn’t be long once you started making videos about beer :) Perhaps an interesting topic would be their 1000 year old beer purity law, that feels like a topic right up your alley and it would pair well with your now great looking Brezn. Greetings from a Bavarian Travel Channel :)

[@zhiracs]

He has made a few videos on beer. Pretty sure he mentions those laws at least in passing.

[@NearFromHome]

@@zhiracs Yeah, I’d just love a full deep dive though. Even as someone living in Munich they come off a bit strange, though I can’t argue with the results. Every other beer is just a little disappointing to me now, lol :)

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Pretzels! Yay! so delicious!

[@glant5876]

This video, more than any other that I can remember, really felt like an episode of Good Eats. Love the nostalgia.

[@sentjojo]

Dude is the GOAT of cooking youtube. I'm not even really interested in pretzels, but he teaches me something new about kneading dough that I can use in other recipes I do.

[@darthplagueis13]

I remember hearing a story on the origin of the lye crust when I was a kid, though I have no idea if it's historically accurate. Essentially, as the story goes, they had an apprentice baker in the kitchen making Pretzels which were meant to be splashed in sugar water before baking as a sweet treat. However, the apprentice was distracted or in a hurry and confused the sugar water with a bit of lye solution that had been intended for cleaning. When the Pretzels came out of the oven they had turned a dark red-ish brown instead of the very light blonde tone they would have had with the sugar and it turned out that the resulting crust really was pretty tasty.

[@inf0phreak]

I do love that it says "Food grade" as well as "poison". Yeah, I'm just gonna use my food grade poison here... :)

[@tomwood5896]

Everything is poisonous in sufficient quantity...

[@Darklor_WCF]

Props for the super slick transition to the sponsor. Lol. That was nice

[@AlkonKomm]

tip for making pretzels from a bavarian guy who bakes a lot: freeze or cool them before putting them in the lye bath, it makes the whole process SO much easier.

[@LanzFamily]

It should be noted that small caustic burns on skin aren´t that much of an issue since the skin can heal itself pretty well, as you've shown in the video. The real danger is getting it into your eyes, as eyes are way damaged easier and damage is usually permament. I´d say that (safety) glasses are more important than latex gloves.

[@Xeiphyer]

This made me really want a science series with Adam doing experiments. Lets see the exothermic gummy bear experiment!

[@marcr.650]

Great video, thanks. For pretzels I've always felt that those nuggets of compressed, very fine salt are a must.

[@I_report_scammers_spammers]

Oh man....I'm from Philly and literally the first thing I get when I fly in and the last thing I get before I fly out is a hot soft pretzel. But I don't live there now, and it's been a long time since I've had one. It'll be fantastic to be able to make them at home! Thank you!

[@ericvaninwegen6384]

That's definitely a solution to be cautious of; it's got a pH of ~14.16. (70g / 40g/mol / 1.2L = 1.46M for NaOH and the OH ions . pH = 14 - -Log[OH] = 14.16) Skin is reasonably good at dealing with that, but eyes are not. Be very careful of splashing; rinse any splashed eye under running water for a good while.

[@erikbukovac5944]

how can the pH be 14.16 if the scale only goes to 14

[@ericvaninwegen6384]

@@erikbukovac5944 pH goes above 14 and below 0. It drives me nuts that some science teachers teach the scale as it has hard ends at 0 & 14. Below -1, or above 15, pH starts to be less accurate, and other scales would be used for super acids or superbases.

[@kaischneider5032]

Small correction: Bavarian pretzels traditionally have thicker and therefore softer arms. Your's rather resemble Swabian pretzels, those are known for more crispy arms.

[@reyster000]

Agreed. As a bavarian, was quite shocked at how thin the arms were. Also, cutting the pretzel's belly is more of a swabian thing, bavarian pretzels must tear open in the oven.

[@Ginkoman2]

Yeah, good thing he didnt make the abomination called "bavarian Brezn" but alesat tried to make the original ^^ although the arms are still way to thick.

[@RPSchonherr]

I'm glad you mentioned the baking soda method as that is the way I've heard to do it. Baking soda is alkali but not as strong.

[@Smartway455]

Lol i just searched for the pretzels recipe. And your video released almost instantly. The magic of universe.

[@NithinJawali]

Adam is a rock star. I love how he melds cooking with sciency stuff.

[@abaaaaba8646]

RIP Adam Ragusea. Died March 2023 from severe chemical burn to the forearm.

[@achannel1818]

In chemistry class, the hydroxide would sometimes get on your skin and react with the oils in your skin to make soap. FUN

[@naftalibendavid]

That trick you taught me about boiling the baking soda makes a great pretzel. With wheat flour, the final product is a tasty dark brown.

[@SkywalkerAni]

Adam, thank you for pointing out to be safe with the caustic soda. I just want to reiterate that the stuff, even though it is food safe, you should still be careful with it. There's a reason why the EPA considers substances with a pH of 2 or lower, or 12.5 or higher, to be hazardous and needs to be disposed of properly. Source: I work in the hazardous waste industry. Editing to also say that if you are super concerned with disposal, if you live in the USA, look for a Household Hazardous Waste event in your area. They'll take your Household chemicals for safe disposal

[@wylanvallotton4462]

I have made pretzels many, many times for my kids, guests, friends etc. I have never actually used lye to make them however. I have always used a hot sodium bicarbonate bath and they have almost always been the best fresh pretzels I've ever had and friends ask for them. I don't know if the pretzel stands at malls and theme parks use real lye or not, but I prefer this method. I would love to try lye bath, but if it's not better then I see no reason to do it.

[@godminnette2]

Auntie Anne's doesn't; representatives of the company confirmed as such to a food blog that was also curious about it.

[@Stonebrick]

Very well done! The Bavarians are pleased!

[@WaddleQwacker]

In Alsace (French region on the German border) they use the same dough to make miniature baguettes called Mauricette or Malicette. AFAIK it used to be made when there was not enough dough to make another pretzel and it got popular around the 70s - 80s so people made them intentionally from then on. It is about as long as your hand and as thick as your pretzel's thick part, delicious alone but also works very well as a sandwich bread. Where I did my studies there was a bakery making three to four different kinds of cheap sandwiches with these Mauricettes and i LOVED it.

[@MissDatherinePierce]

They sound a lot like Laugenstangen which are also very popular in basically all of Germany.

[@tjpld]

That's actually a Swabian pretzel. Bavarian pretzels don't have such a big belly and thin arms.

[@paperbackwriter1111]

Why I chemically pregelatinze my skin instead of the dough

[@FlorianBased]

I'm impressed how good they turned out. In the bakery I work at they make them thicker and smaller than yours and the bakers pick up the U shape and through what can only described as sorcery put a perfect Prezel back down on the table split seconds later. They the freeze them, and deliver them to our freezer. We lye them while they're still frozen in a specialized metal drawer that's sprinkling them all around and let them rest for 1-30 mins, depending on the oven occupancy, before putting them in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 18(i think) minutes. (The oven will also sprinkle water on them, about 600ml in the first 3 mins for 48 prezels) . We use wheat flour, wheat sourdough, salt and plant margerine. But do follow Adam's instructions, because I'm pretty sure you don't have all that equipment at home.

[@tomb5372]

Bavarian here (living in the US). Instead of lye I just bake baking soda at 200F for an hour and use that instead. Safer, and to me it tastes pretty much the same. Baking soda is cheap and readily available. There is no need to boil the pretzels, either.

[@bobby_greene]

A little lye like that on skin should be fine; lye in the eye might cause issues. Goggles would not be a bad idea.

[@General12th]

eye lye?

[@bobby_greene]

@@General12th lye eye, captain!

[@kirmityou]

I was expecting a quick sidebit about how my forefathers and/or -mothers had the strange idea to dip their dough into a caustic alkaloid before baking^^

[@General12th]

It is kinda strange, but so is almost everything in cooking.

[@mad_incognito]

For my reef aquarium I have to make some Calcium solution and disolving the powder into water is (100g on 1L) is bringing it up over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. BTW to dispose the lime I would put the container into the sink and then add water to dilute from low height instead of pouring it and then dip it over to empty it to avoid splater which could ruin metals and marble. I also would be more concerned about my eyes than my skin when working with lye.

[@thomasmcnulty9231]

Really love your videos adam, I feel like I’ve missed your uploads like this

[@declanwinship24]

Could you comment on how you cleaned the spoon afterwards? I'm a little worried personally that you used a nonreactive vessel and a porous mixing spoon, but as you say, grandma's have been doing this for centuries. Did you soak the spoon afterwards?

[@iamethan2153]

Soaking in water and rinsing it after should be fine, the hydroxide would dilute to the point that even if it remained, it wouldn’t be a danger. But yeah using a metal mixing spoon avoids this altogether.

[@willbouchard5340]

I love seeing the comments when the video hasn’t been up for long enough for anyone to have finished it

[@noahwilliams1264]

Samme dude

[@Itstoearly]

I love the way you lye

[@bsjohnson9794]

Great recipe! As far as I know both the slashing and the thin bits that get crispy are actually features of Swabian pretzels, while in Bavaria (or at least around where I live) they are typically not slashed and the knotted bits are shorter and thicker. Not that that matters, just some extra info :)

[@xelaxander]

9:49 Holy hell, NOBODY puts mustard directly on the pretzel. But you do you, I guess. Also by now, baking pretzels is very much in the hands of professionals in Bavaria. Even most Grandmas just buy them.

[@GeekTalkVideos]

This is not a cooking channel with cool ads. This is an ad pivot channel with awesome food.

[@tommihommi1]

I'm convinced you only called these bavarian instead of swabian to increase engagement.

[@barneylaurance1865]

Maybe because lots of us outside of Germany know nothing about Swabia. Bavaria is very famous in the UK, I think especially for their beer and Octoberfest.

[@TheEndtinor]

I just wanted tell you that you didn't make "real" bavarian pretels, but swabian pretzels (swabia is another cultural region next to bavaria). Bavarian pretzels have the same thickness all along the pretzel. Swabians love the crunchy two arm is the middle. Just a small difference, but thats where culturs in germany crash ;)

[@mortuos557]

now we just need to add a franconian to the mix, and the nuke is armed.

[@Ginkoman2]

The Swabian Pretzel is the real Pretzel. This is the hill i am willing to die on.

[@loganking1392]

I've made these before using a more exact recipe, but it honestly seems super enjoyable to just kinda eyeball things and trust that it'll play out

[@robinsmith5442]

When I got "burned" with caustic soda at the circuit board factory they used vinegar to neutralize it.

[@LLCL2012]

Adam a few years ago: Don't deep fry it is too dangerous. Adam today: You can use a food safe caustic solution as long a you do it properly. That video didn't age so well kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2qspIGIpb-se8U I guess it is time to update it XD

[@darthplagueis13]

To be fair: Compared to accidentially splashing yourself with seething oil, the caustic lye isn't quite as bad, provided you notice it quickly and rinse it off immediately.

[@Phete100]

Don't know if You know this Adam, but baking soda is enough. Approx 60grams per liter of water. I have been doing this for 10 years now and the result is always mahogany pillowy pretzels. Cheers.

[@Sporkyz74]

He's already made a video about this concept, though he cooks the baking soda into washing soda. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJrZZ6Cqr9CKabM

[@tommihommi1]

No, it's not enough, no your pretzels are totally different from the real deal, stop kidding yourself.

[@Phete100]

@@Sporkyz74 so he didn't make this video cause you don't need to bake the soda

[@Phete100]

@@tommihommi1 yeah, different from the real deal... I am from Poland and I got my recipe from my Bavarian friend so... 😁. Just saying

[@tommihommi1]

@@Phete100 just because he's Bavarian doesn't mean he's not wrong.

[@daxtron2]

My ex worked with sodium hydroxide every day at work (in much higher concentrations than is used in pretzel making) but would never want to try and make them the traditional way. We always did the baking soda method which while good, isn't what I want out of my pretzel. Seeing you do it so easily and without any real danger, I think I'm going to take it upon myself to make some damn good pretzels. Thanks Adam!

[@Andinel]

The pretzels are also very easy to soak in the lye bath if you freeze them ahead of time! That's how we did it when I took a baking class from a German baker.

[@alexanderfo3886]

Looks good. Definite approval from a German here. And don't mind going crazy and put grated cheese, pumpkin seeds or whatever you want on it. You won't regret it, and hundreds of German bakeries don't, either.

[@charlesalexg]

I close my eyes and I hear Alton Brown, take it as a compliment!

[@EyalBrown]

If nothing else this video taught me that I need a large bowl with a handle! How have I never seen one?! Looks so convenient!

[@lizhansis7066]

So in Stuttgart, where I grew up, we would have Laugenstange, which are basically the dough before you make that classic Brezel shape. Then like sliced after the lye bath, and baked like normal. We would get them at Sehne, and I would, as one does with German baked goods prefer to have them hot, would put a cheese stick in there as a breakfast. Would recommend for kids, especially those that like the more chewy textures.

[@FlorianBased]

If you're concerned about pooling or the lye, try freezing the pretzels stiff before lying them. It won't hurt the taste as long as they're freshly lyed. Also you can keep the in your freezer for weeks and even stack them, as long as they're frozen solid.