Apple and Raisin Pretzels

These tasty pretzels are a great way of sneaking a little fruit into your kids and they will have great fun rolling and shaping the dough.

Apple and Raisin Pretzels

Preparation time 50 mins plus rising - Baking time 15 mins - Makes 16

• 400g strong white bread flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 50g caster sugar
• 1x 7g sachet fast action dried yeast
• 15g butter, softened
• 125ml milk
• 125ml water
• 40g dried apple, cut into small pieces
• 60g raisins
• 3 tbsp honey, warmed

1. Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Ask an adult to place the butter in pan and heat until melted. Add the milk and water and heat until just warm. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the warmed liquids. Use a rounded ended knife to bring the mixture together to form a soft, but not sticky dough.
2. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead for 10 mins until smooth. Try to avoid adding any extra flour to your work surface but if the dough is too sticky to work with then rub a little sunflower oil on your hands.
3. Oil the inside of a large bowl then place the dough inside. Cover with a piece of cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
4. Turn the risen dough out onto your work surface then knock it back by gently kneading the air out of it until it is almost back to its original size. Flatten the dough into a large rectangle, add the apple and raisins in the middle then fold in the edges to seal them inside. Knead the dough for a further 5 mins to evenly distribute the raisins and apple.
5. Grease two baking trays and line with baking paper. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, then working with one piece at a time, roll it out into a very long (about 30cm) thin sausage shape.
6. To create a traditional pretzel shape, place the sausage shape horizontally on your work surface then place the left end of the sausage over the right end to make a 5cm loop as shown in Photo A. Fold up the now left end of the dough and tuck the very end underneath the top of the loop, slightly right of centre, pressing gently to stick together. Repeat with the other end of the dough but this time tucking the end slightly left of centre. For an alternative shape that’s easier to form, place the left half of the sausage over the right half to make a small loop and then continue winding the ends around each other until you reach the end. Press the ends gently together.
7. Place the shaped pretzels, evenly spaced on the prepared baking trays. Leave for 20 mins to rise.
8. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Brush the pretzels with the warmed honey and bake in the oven for approximately 15 mins, until golden. Remove from the baking tray and place on a cooling rack.