BEER CHEESE AND SOFT PRETZEL BITES

Beer Cheese and Soft Pretzel Bites image

Provided by Kardea Brown

Time 55m

Yield 8 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

1 pound bakery pizza dough
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk
Pretzel salt or coarse kosher salt, for sprinkling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Half a 12-ounce can lager beer (I like LO-Fi Brewing)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch Miss Brown's House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Make the soft pretzel bites: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a cooling rack covered with paper towels.
Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot. (It may seem like a small amount of water for a large pot, but once you add baking soda it'll foam up.)
While the water comes to a boil, place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll each portion into a long rope. Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces.
When the water is boiling, add the baking soda and sugar. Cook the dough pieces, in batches, for 30 seconds. Drain on the paper towels.
Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Dip the tops of the pretzels in the egg wash and sprinkle with salt. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until the pretzel bites are nicely browned, 9 to 10 minutes.
For the beer cheese: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the beer until the mixture is smooth, then add the half-and-half. Simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and House Seasoning. Gradually add the cheese and stir until smooth. Season to taste. Serve the pretzel bites with the beer cheese.
Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.