If you are living in Germany, you’ve probably always wondered who buys those frozen pretzel rolls, soft pretzels, and the like at the supermarket, haven’t you? Given that the bakeries at the entrances of most markets always have fresh versions of every pretzel-style treat your heart desires… Well, I happen to be one of those people who almost always have a few frozen dough pieces in their freezer. You can use them to quickly bake those ultra-delicious Tarte Flambée Pretzel Sticks you see in the photos, for example. Whether just for yourself or, for example, as finger food for your next party… We love them.
I’m usually the one that says »let’s make everything from scratch«. After all, making some dough for bread rolls isn’t exactly rocket science. The ingredients aren’t complicated or hard to get, and the preparation is often quite simple, too. The only thing that sometimes throws a wrench in the works is the long rising time required for a dough made with yeast. That can definitely put someone off making everything from scratch. I’m no exception here – I think you just get a bit lazier as you get older.
Anyway. Luckily, there are plenty of store-bought products that can lend a hand here – frozen pretzel sticks, for example. I discovered them a few years ago, and since then, we’ve almost always had a few on hand in the freezer. They’re great for Sunday breakfast when no one feels like walking to the bakery, or for other things like these delicious »enhanced «pretzel sticks.
Pretzel sticks like these, topped with typical tarte flambée (Flammkuchen) ingredients, are a familiar sight at various bakery kiosks in train stations and shopping malls here in Germany. In fact, one particular bakery chain has practically made it their specialty, offering just about every imaginable variation of pretzels and the like. You’re all probably familiar with that bakery – the name start with a »D« and end with »itsch«. They call themselves the »global market leader in pretzel-style baked goods«. That says it all, doesn’t it?
Global market leader or not – back when I had to commute to the office every day, I’d pick something up from one of those bakery shops almost daily. Sometimes a pretzel or a pretzel stick, sometimes a pretzel croissant or a »Schlemmerzunge«, like the ones you can make with the recipe here. As you can imagine – those cheesy treats were the blueprint for my Tarte Flambée Pretzel Sticks. I guess that’s quite obvious…
I think these pretzel sticks are perfect for a picnic or as a snack for a train journey, for example. Or simply for when guests are coming over and you want to serve something hearty with a cold drink while hanging out on the sofa. If you want to host a mini Oktoberfest at home, these pretzel treats provide a great starting point, for example. Just add some Obazda cheese spread and a platter of cold cuts, and the party is ready to go.
Of course, you don’t need a party or guests as an excuse to bake something delicious. To be honest, I devoured almost the entire batch from this little baking session all by myself. I truly love pretzel-style baked goods, and these fellas here were incredibly tasty! Was my blood sugar happy about all those carbs? Probably not, but it’s okay to »sin« a little occasionally, right?!
Anyway. If you ended up here because you were looking for something with a Flammkuchen (aka. tarte flambée) style topping, you might also want to check out our quick and super easy (Air Fryer) Tarte Flambée Bread Rolls. They are ready in no time – perfect for days when you’re in a rush. And, naturally, they’re delicious too. That probably goes without saying…
Moving on from the topic of bread and berad rolls – how about a Quick Apple & Radish Salad as a side dish? You can, of course, serve the pretzel sticks as they are, but adding something crisp and healthy makes everything even better! It’s definitely worth a try.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 pretzel sticks)
4 frozen pretzel sticks
4-5 tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. grated cheese (e.g., Gouda or Emmental), plus a little extra
salt, pepper
2-3 tbsp. diced ham
1 small red onion, cut into rings
some chive rings for garnish (optional)
(4 Schiffchen)
4 TK-Laugenstangen
4-5 EL Schmand
2 EL geriebener Käse (z.B. Gouda oder Emmentaler), plus etwas mehr
Salz, Pfeffer
2-3 EL Schinkenwürfel
1 kleine rote Zwiebel, in Ringen
ein paar Schnittlauchröllchen für die Dekoration (optional)
Alternatives & Tips
You can top the pretzel sticks with a lot of other stuff besides the Flammkuchen mixture we used. Pretty much anything goes, from salami to fish. Just be careful not to overdo the quantity of the topping. If you pile on too many ingredients, or ones with high moisture content, your pretzel sticks might not bake all the way through properly. Then you might end up with a »soggy bottom« and nobody really wants that.
As for the cheese – even though mozzarella sounds great for everything you can toast in an oven – it’s a staple for pizza and the like, for example – I’d actually recommend something like Emmental here. It crisps up faster, making it ideal for this kind of topping.
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place the frozen pretzel sticks on top, leaving some space between them. Cover and let them thaw for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Mix the sour cream with the grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Peel the onion and cut it into rings.
3. Make a lengthwise cut in the partially thawed pretzel sticks and shape them into »boats« by simply pulling or pressing the dough apart along the cut. This worked quite well for me using two rubber spatulas.
4. Fill the boats with the sour cream mixture, sprinkle with the diced ham, and add a little more grated cheese on top if you like. Season with a bit more salt and pepper, arrange the onion rings on top, and bake the boats in the preheated oven for about 18-22 minutes. The boats are done when the edges (and the cheese) have taken on a nice golden color. Remove from the oven and garnish with a few chive rings to your liking. Enjoy warm or cold.
1. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und die TK-Laugenstangen mit etwas Abstand zueinander auf das Blech setzen. Abgedeckt etwa 15-20 Minuten antauen lassen.
2. Den Ofen auf 200°C (390°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Den Schmand mit dem geriebenen Käse vermischen, mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen und zur Seite stellen. Die Zwiebel schälen und in Ringe schneiden.
3. Die angetauten Laugenstangen der Länge nach einschneiden und zu Schiffchen formen, indem man den Teig entlang des Einschnitts einfach auseinanderzieht bzw. drückt. Hat bei mir mit zwei Gummispateln recht gut funktioniert.
4. Die Schiffchen mit der Schmandcreme befüllen, mit den Schinkenwürfeln bestreuen und dann nach Belieben noch etwas geriebenen Käse darauf verteilen. Nach Belieben noch mit etwas Salz und Pfeffer würzen, die Zwiebelringe auflegen und dann für etwa 18-22 Minuten im vorgeheizten Ofen backen. Die Schiffchen sind fertig, wenn sie am Rand eine schöne Farbe bekommen haben – der Käse darf auf etwas braun geworden sein. Aus dem Ofen holen und nach Belieben mit Schnittlauchröllchen dekorieren. Warm oder auch abgekühlt genießen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Tarte Flambée Pretzel Sticks
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:20
- Total Time: 00:50
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: -
- Cuisine: Germany
Description
A classic hearty treat you can find in many German bakeries: Tarte Flambée Pretzel Sticks. A pretzel base with creamy-cheesy topping and bacon. So good!
Ingredients
4 frozen pretzel sticks
4-5 tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. grated cheese (e.g., Gouda or Emmental), plus a little extra
salt, pepper
2-3 tbsp. diced ham
1 small red onion, cut into rings
some chive rings for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place the frozen pretzel sticks on top, leaving some space between them. Cover and let them thaw for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Mix the sour cream with the grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Peel the onion and cut it into rings.
3. Make a lengthwise cut in the partially thawed pretzel sticks and shape them into »boats« by simply pulling or pressing the dough apart along the cut. This worked quite well for me using two rubber spatulas.
4. Fill the boats with the sour cream mixture, sprinkle with the diced ham, and add a little more grated cheese on top if you like. Season with a bit more salt and pepper, arrange the onion rings on top, and bake the boats in the preheated oven for about 18-22 minutes. The boats are done when the edges (and the cheese) have taken on a nice golden color. Remove from the oven and garnish with a few chive rings to your liking. Enjoy warm or cold.
Notes
Let’s get baking!
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