Soft Pretzel Sticks with Pumpkin Beer Fondue
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Serves: 16 pretzel sticks
 
Ingredients
Pretzels
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1 ½ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 12 cups water
  • Heaping ⅔ cup baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
Pumpkin fondue
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (12 oz) bottle of pumpkin ale
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • 8 oz. shredded fontina cheese
  • 1 Tlbs flour
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 8 oz. shredded emmental
Instructions
Pretzels
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In the bottom of a stand mixer, combine water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over, whisk. Let set for 5 minutes until foamy. Add in salt, flour and melted butter. Using the dough hook, mix the dough until combined on a low speed, Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5-7 minutes until dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Rinse bowl off and then grease with canola oil. Place dough in bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place (I like to put it on top of my oven). Let rise for 1 hour.
  4. Once the dough has risen, cut dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll dough into a rope ¾-inch thick.
  5. Bring a large stock pot to a rolling boil. Add baking soda. Working in batches,, add pretzels to the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. Remove from water and pat off excess moisture.
  6. Transfer pretzels to a greased baking sheet. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush pretzels with egg wash and then sprinkle with pretzel or kosher salt.
  7. Bake until golden brown, about 12-13 minutes.
For the fondue
  1. Heat a medium saucepan to a medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add beer, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. While beer simmers, toss cheese with flour.
  3. Whisk pumpkin into beer and garlic. Slowly whisk cheese into mixture in three batches, whisk until cheese is melted before adding the next batch. Add salt and nutmeg. Pour into serving bowl or fondue pot. You can also use a mini crockpot.
Recipe by Cooking for Keeps at https://www.cookingforkeeps.com/soft-pretzel-sticks-pumpkin-beer-fondue/