Vanillebrezeln (Vanilla pretzels)

• 170g butter
• 113g caster sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tb vanilla
• 3 Tb milk
• 333g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp milk
•  Pearl Sugar

We creamed the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then, we slowly added the egg yolks, vanilla and milk before adding the remaining dry ingredients and mixed in on low speed until a stiff dough formed. We then chilled for 30 minutes.

Then the dough was made into pretzels: We rolled pieces of the dough into a rope about seven inches long and the width of a thick pencil. The ends were crossed over into a pretzel shape, and laid onto a parchment-covered baking sheet We then brushed with one egg yolk thinned with a teaspoon of milk and sprinkled with pearl sugar.  They were then baked for 12 to 14 minutes at 190C until golden brown.