On the fourth Sunday of Lent, Luxembourg celebrates Bretzelsonndeg, Pretzel Sunday, and the bakeries fill with large sweet pretzels glazed with icing and scattered with almonds. Tradition says a young man gives one to the woman he admires. If she feels the same, she answers at Easter with a decorated egg. If she does not, she gives him an empty basket, and in Luxembourgish de Kuerf kréien, to get the basket, has become the everyday phrase for being turned down. In leap years the roles reverse, and it is the women who do the giving. The custom goes back to the eighteenth century.

The classic bakery bretzel is made from puff pastry. Luxembourg home bakers also make it with a soft, enriched yeast dough rolled around a filling of ground almonds and cinnamon, and that is the version here, with the puff pastry method in the variations. It is generous, fragrant and not difficult, and the twist that looks so impressive takes about ten seconds once you see how it works. Romance is optional. A pretzel shared during a race weekend is its own kind of commitment.

The sweet yeast dough

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 5 tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g, one packet) instant or active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups (500 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Method

1. Warm the milk and butter in the small saucepan over low heat until the butter has just melted. Let it cool to lukewarm, then pour it into the mixer bowl and stir in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the remaining sugar, the egg, flour, salt and lemon zest. Mix on low with the dough hook until it comes together, then knead on medium low for 8 minutes. By hand, mix with the spoon and knead on a lightly floured counter for 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Shape into a ball, return it to the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

The almond filling

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups (160 g) ground almonds
• 1/3 cup packed (65 g) brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• a pinch fine salt
• 1 large egg white
• 3 tablespoons (60 g) apricot jam

Method

1. In the medium bowl, mix the ground almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the egg white and jam and stir firmly with a spoon until everything comes together.

Shaping and baking the bretzel

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk

Method

1. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured counter and roll it into a rectangle about 10 x 24 inches (25 x 60 cm), with a long side facing you. Spread the almond filling evenly over it, leaving a 1/2 inch (1 cm) border along the far long edge.
2. Starting from the long side nearest you, roll the dough up tightly into a long log. Pinch the seam firmly closed and roll the log gently under your palms to stretch it to about 36 inches (90 cm).
3. Lay the rope on the parchment lined baking sheet in a U shape with the ends pointing away from you. Cross the two ends over each other, then cross them once more to make a twist. Fold the twisted ends down toward you and press them firmly onto the bottom of the U, a little apart.
4. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.
5. Brush the bretzel all over with the beaten egg yolk. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, turning the sheet halfway, until deep golden. If it browns too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it for the last 5 minutes.

Apricot glaze, icing and almonds

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (60 g) apricot jam
• 1/3 cup (25 g) flaked almonds
• 2/3 cup (80 g) powdered sugar
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons (15 to 22 ml) whole milk or lemon juice

Method

1. Put the flaked almonds in the dry frying pan over medium low heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Tip them onto a plate straight away, because they burn quickly.
2. Warm the apricot jam in the small saucepan with a teaspoon of water until runny. As soon as the bretzel comes out of the oven, brush the jam over it. Slide it onto the wire rack and let it cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. Stir the powdered sugar with the milk or lemon juice, a little at a time, until smooth and thick. Drizzle it in lines over the cooled bretzel with a spoon, or spread a thin coat over the top. Scatter the toasted almonds over the wet icing and leave to set for at least 1 hour.

More from Luxembourg