Cream Cheese Filled Pretzels

Ever since my Disneyland annual pass expired last year, I have been having some serious Disneyland withdrawals. Some of my symptoms include: constantly checking Southwest to see when air plane tickets to John Wayne airport go on sale, thinking of a game plan for pin trading with castmembers, daydreaming of finding all the hidden mickeys, and having intense cravings for turkey legs, dole whips, and cream cheese filled pretzels. To help ease my symptoms a little, I thought I could try to make some cream cheese filled pretzels. This recipe is so good, it makes me feel like I am back on Main Street, USA.

Since our household has been graced with the presence of a bread machine, I thought I should take advantage of its bread kneading capabilities. If you don't have a bread machine handy, not to worry, I've got you covered! You could just as easily follow the directions from Allrecipes to make the pretzel dough. 

Ingredients

Pretzel dough:
3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp oil
2 1/4 tsp (1/4 oz) dry active yeast

Cream cheese filling:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar

Baking soda bath:
4 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda

Toppings:
1 egg, beaten
crushed almonds
course salt

Directions
1. Place the bread flour, sugar, salt, water, and oil into the bread machine pan. Then add the yeast to the designated compartment.
2. Select "White Bread" or "Basic" mode, to make dough only.
3. While dough is in the bread machine, prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing the cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Fill a zip lock bag with the filling and snip the corner to makeshift a piping bag.
4. Prepare the baking soda bath in a saucepan by boiling the water and mixing in the baking soda.
5. When the dough has finished rising, remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Flatten into a circle shape. Using a pizza cutter, cut 12 equal slices.



6. Roll each piece of dough into a thin rope. Flatten the rope using a rolling pin.
7. Pipe a line of cream cheese filling to the center of the flattened rope. Bring the ends up and squish them together.

8. Place the rope in an upside down "U" shape. Cross the ends together and twist them once. Then bring the ends back up and squish into place.




9. Dip the pretzel into the baking soda bath for about 10 seconds. Lift from the water using a slotted spoon and let the excess water drip off.


10. Lay the pretzel onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush some of the beaten egg on the top of the pretzel. Sprinkle the almonds and salt.



11. Bake the pretzels at 440 °F for 7-8 minutes.