My Sisters New Year's Pretzel

Happy new year and best wishes for 2011! Growing up in Germany we always had these pretzels for New Years Eve.  At midnight everyone gets a piece for good luck in the new year. A few years ago my sister shared her recipe with me:

Ingredients:
330 g Milk ( dairy or non-dairy)
20 g Fresh Yeast
80 g Butter
10 g Salt
500 g Flour (unbleached, all purpose or white spelt)
1 egg yolk

Method:

• warm milk, butter and yeast for 2 min  / 37 °C / speed 2 
• add flour and salt
• blend on speed 3-4 together. Set dial to closed lid function and knead for 2 min  / Intevall speed 
• let the dough rise double in size
• form a pretzel shape with 2 / 3 of the dough and a braided loaf with the other part. Put the braided loaf on top of the pretzel and let rise covered with a clean dish towel for another 30 - 45 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Make an eggwash with the yolk and 3 Tbs of water and brush the pretzel with it. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes.

Neujahrsbrezel

330 g Milch
20 g Hefe
80 g Butter.............................. 2 Min   / 37 °C / Stufe 2 erwaermen


500 g Mehl
10 g  Salz.................................auf Stufe 3-4 kurz verruehren und 2 Min / Knetstufe


1 Eigelb

• Teig doppelt aufgehen lassen
• mit 2 / 3 vom Teig eine Brezel formen, mit dem Drittel einen Zopf flechten und auf den Zopf legen
• 30 - 45 Minuten gehen lassen 
• Eigelb mit 3 EL Wasser mischen und den Teig damit bestreichen
• bei 175 °C ca. 20-30 Minuten backen