How to Bake Coconut Pretzels in a Microwave Convection

Now that we have a new appliance, I figured it was time to figure out how to bake coconut pretzels in a microwave convection oven. It is especially a delight to use the convection setting in Hawaii so we don’t have to turn on the oven and heat up the house. Further, although we have a convection oven at our house in Sacramento, I’ve never used it. Why? Because the oven works just fine. No need to learn how to use convection.

Well, that, and I don’t cook in Sacramento so I would never use the oven anyway.

I started out to make bread in the microwave convection, which worked like a charm. So I graduated to bake coconut pretzels because the photos in the 2005 GE Convection Microwave cookbook I just bought, the only one available, made the pretzels look so danged yummy. I’m afraid my photo isn’t as beautifully conforming as the cookbook, but they taste delicious. I also used shaved coconut instead of shredded coconut.

My husband had to help me with the recipe because not everybody can write. For example, the recipe called for rolling out a 16-inch square and then folding it in 3 pieces. Pieces! What did that mean? Well, they meant fold it into thirds. Not 3 pieces. Words have meanings, people.

My poor husband first sent photographs of folding a napkin in thirds, and the position of the rolling pin to explain the intended process. But some South Pacific server hung up the transmission so he had to call and show me with FaceTime.

Here are the ingredients:

• 3 cups flour

• 1/2 cup butter sliced

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar

• 1 envelope dry yeast

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 3 egg yolks

Toppings:

• 1 egg white slightly beaten

• 1 cup coconut

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Put flour in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry knife. Cover and refrigerate.

Pour cream, water, sugar and salt into a pan and heat to 120 to 130 F. Stir in yeast until dissolved.

Remove bowl with flour and butter from the frig. Add the warm cream mixture and 3 beaten egg yolks. Mix until just moist. Don’t over mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 16-inch square. Fold in thirds.

Roll dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle, beginning on the short side.

Use a pizza cutter and cut 1/2-inch strips. Form each strip into a pretzel. Here is a video of how to form a pretzel shape. Hey, you might THINK you know how to make a pretzel but you probably don’t. Full disclosure: I had to watch it several times, hitting pause and sliding the lever back until it sunk into my brain. It is very hard for me to work with 3-dimensional items.

My brain works just perfectly when I need creative answers to complex problems. I can logically piece together results versus possible outcomes. Put me in an emergency situation, and I am calm, level-headed. But some things that seem simple to other people can be a challenge to me.

Once, I built an indoor fireplace and covered it in bricks. Figuring out how to do the top, bottom and sides so the grout lines matched was very difficult. Like installing a dropped ceiling is also hard when you are forced to think upside down and backwards. But I like to challenge myself. Hence the coconut pretzels.

Now, soon as the pretzels are arranged on a baking sheet, brush with beaten egg white. Combine coconut and brown sugar and and sprinkle on each pretzel. Preheat convection setting on the microwave to 400 degrees. Bake 16 minutes.

I should mention that you are supposed to toast the coconut but since I used shaved coconut, I did not toast it. It toasted itself in the oven. Also, be sure to use the right side of the hotpad when removing the cookie sheet.

My neighbors said I should have baked a double batch. They really loved them. I ate one but I do need to get these little fat bombs out of my house because I cannot be trusted around sweet baked goods. Guess I will take the coconut pretzels to Kona Haven Coffee tomorrow and hand them out.