Bake of the Week: Sweet Apple Cinnamon Pretzels

HERE’S something a little different to try. These sweet apple cinnamon pretzels look complicated, but take your time and each step is actually quite simple.

For the apple puree, peel and core two to three apples, then whizz in a blender. Or you can cheat and buy it in a supermarket – look in the baby food aisle!

You’ll need

350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

200g strong white/bread flour

40g unsalted butter

250ml apple purée

3 tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp fast-action dried yeast

For the cooking

3 tbsp baking powder

2–3 tbsp ground cinnamon

60g demerara sugar

1 beaten egg

Method

Put the flours, butter, apple purée and a teaspoon of salt in a large bowl and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and yeast, then pour over 150ml warm water. Mix with your hands until it starts to come together, then add approximately another 150ml of warm water. Continue to mix until it forms a smooth dough.

Lightly dust a clean worktop with flour and tip the dough out. Knead for five minutes until smooth. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling-film and leave to rise for an hour.

Tip the dough out on to the floured worktop and knock out the air. Divide the dough into 12 small, or eight larger, even-sized balls and roll out each piece into a long rope. Fold the ropes into a pretzel shape and place on an oiled tray. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C/gas mark 4/350F.

Put 500ml warm water and the baking powder in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Gently lower in the pretzels, poaching one at a time for one minute each. Place the poached pretzels back on the baking tray.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Brush the pretzels with beaten egg, then sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.

From Aimee’s Perfect Bakes by Aimee Twigger (Murdoch Books, £16.99).