I would like to purchase a moderately-priced cookie press to use in
making pretzels at home. I need to extrude a round "rope" about a half
inch in diameter. I'm sure there's any number of cookie presses that
can do this--but the problem here is that unlike cookie dough, the
pretzel dough is very "stiff" and would require a fair amount of force
(and sturdy apparatus) to extrude. I'm not sure a run-of-the-mill
cookie press would be up to the task. Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

wrote:
> I would like to purchase a moderately-priced cookie press to use in
> making pretzels at home. I need to extrude a round "rope" about a half
> inch in diameter. I'm sure there's any number of cookie presses that
> can do this--but the problem here is that unlike cookie dough, the
> pretzel dough is very "stiff" and would require a fair amount of force
> (and sturdy apparatus) to extrude. I'm not sure a run-of-the-mill
> cookie press would be up to the task. Any recommendations?
>
> Thanks in advance.


Use your hands. Roll them.

wrote:
>
> I would like to purchase a moderately-priced cookie press to use in
> making pretzels at home. I need to extrude a round "rope" about a half
> inch in diameter. I'm sure there's any number of cookie presses that
> can do this--but the problem here is that unlike cookie dough, the
> pretzel dough is very "stiff" and would require a fair amount of force
> (and sturdy apparatus) to extrude. I'm not sure a run-of-the-mill
> cookie press would be up to the task. Any recommendations?
>
> Thanks in advance.

Use a meat grinder with a sausage stuffer nozzle. With the sausage
nozzles for the Kitchen Aid grinder attachment, your options are 3/8" or
5/8" which should be close enough.

In article
>,
wrote:

> I would like to purchase a moderately-priced cookie press to use in
> making pretzels at home. I need to extrude a round "rope" about a half
> inch in diameter. I'm sure there's any number of cookie presses that
> can do this--but the problem here is that unlike cookie dough, the
> pretzel dough is very "stiff" and would require a fair amount of force
> (and sturdy apparatus) to extrude. I'm not sure a run-of-the-mill
> cookie press would be up to the task. Any recommendations?
>
> Thanks in advance.

That sounds like an industrial machine, Dave. A specialty item built
for a business. Cookie presses are designed for use with soft butter
cooky dough; pretzels are from yeast dough - bread dough - at least the
soft pretzels -- is that what you're making?
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com;pics of my no-knead bread posted
Laissez les bons temps rouler!

wrote:
>
> I would like to purchase a moderately-priced cookie press to use in
> making pretzels at home. I need to extrude a round "rope" about a half
> inch in diameter. I'm sure there's any number of cookie presses that
> can do this--but the problem here is that unlike cookie dough, the
> pretzel dough is very "stiff" and would require a fair amount of force
> (and sturdy apparatus) to extrude. I'm not sure a run-of-the-mill
> cookie press would be up to the task. Any recommendations?
>
> Thanks in advance.

I've researched cookie presses/dough extruders rather extensively in the
past year or longer. Unfortunately, there is nothing I know of on the
(USA) market for the household cook that's available except on an
industrial level and that's neither suitable nor affordable. I even
checked with several restaurant supply companies, too.

I often make cheese straws, and the dough for those is sturdy and stiff,
too (shaddup Sheldon!). I usually let the dough get warm to room
temperature, then it extrudes somewhat easilty through the cookie
press.

Because I have problems with my hands, I need a 'powered' cookie press,
and the only one I could find that worked well is the Bonjour "Cookie
Factory" cookie press that's powered with two C-batteries [example can
be found at http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=202012 - no
endorsement of website intended]. There are a couple other powered
cookie presses, but those didn't work as well as this one does.

Good luck with your search, and please follow-up here if you do find a
cookie press else that's suitable for your task.

Sky, the "cheese straw maven"

http://www.recfoodcooking.com/sigs/S...%20Straws.html

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

On Feb 24, 5:18 pm, Pennyaline > wrote:
> wrote:
> > I would like to purchase a moderately-priced cookie press to use in
> > making pretzels at home. I need to extrude a round "rope" about a half
> > inch in diameter. I'm sure there's any number of cookie presses that
> > can do this--but the problem here is that unlike cookie dough, the
> > pretzel dough is very "stiff" and would require a fair amount of force
> > (and sturdy apparatus) to extrude. I'm not sure a run-of-the-mill
> > cookie press would be up to the task. Any recommendations?
>
> > Thanks in advance.
>
> Use your hands. Roll them.


That's what I've been doing, but I would like to streamline the
process--and also make a smoother, more uniform "rope."

Here's my recipe, for anyone who's interested:
http://twin-x.com/groupdiy/albums/us...etzels_1_0.pdf

On Feb 24, 5:26 pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
> wrote:
>
> Use a meat grinder with a sausage stuffer nozzle. With the sausage
> nozzles for the Kitchen Aid grinder attachment, your options are 3/8" or
> 5/8" which should be close enough.

I'll have to look into that, since I use a Kitchenaid Artisan mixer.
Thanks for the idea (although it looks like it'd be a bit more money
than I was hoping to spend).

There's one thing that concerns me, though: wouldn't the grinder
mechanism cut the dough up into little pieces before extruding it? I'd
really rather avoid doing that.

wrote:
>
> On Feb 24, 5:26 pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
> > wrote:
> >
> > Use a meat grinder with a sausage stuffer nozzle. With the sausage
> > nozzles for the Kitchen Aid grinder attachment, your options are 3/8" or
> > 5/8" which should be close enough.
>
> I'll have to look into that, since I use a Kitchenaid Artisan mixer.
> Thanks for the idea (although it looks like it'd be a bit more money
> than I was hoping to spend).

Once you try grinding your own meats fresh and see the huge difference
it makes you'll consider it money well spent. Try making some sausage
and there is even more justification.

>
> There's one thing that concerns me, though: wouldn't the grinder
> mechanism cut the dough up into little pieces before extruding it? I'd
> really rather avoid doing that.

The sausage stuffer horns come with a piece that installs in place of
both the cutter blade and the hole plate. All it does is use the auger
screw to force the material out through the horn.

On Feb 24, 7:35 pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
>
> Once you try grinding your own meats fresh and see the huge difference
> it makes you'll consider it money well spent. Try making some sausage
> and there is even more justification.

Well, I'm a vegetarian, but I wouldn't mind making my own veggie
sausage if I could find suitable casing. (I looked around a while back
and found nothing available in less-than-industrial quantities).
>
> The sausage stuffer horns come with a piece that installs in place of
> both the cutter blade and the hole plate. All it does is use the auger
> screw to force the material out through the horn.

I found the manual for the grinder online and I noticed the auger/worm
gear drive in the exploded parts diagram, so yes: no worries there.

If it's strong enough to push nasty ol' meat through small holes in a
metal plate, then surely it's adequate to handle my pretzel dough.
Thanks again for the idea!

(Thanks also to Melba and Sky for their helpful replies).

wrote:
> On Feb 24, 7:35 pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
>> Once you try grinding your own meats fresh and see the huge difference
>> it makes you'll consider it money well spent. Try making some sausage
>> and there is even more justification.
>
> Well, I'm a vegetarian, but I wouldn't mind making my own veggie
> sausage if I could find suitable casing. (I looked around a while back
> and found nothing available in less-than-industrial quantities).
>> The sausage stuffer horns come with a piece that installs in place of
>> both the cutter blade and the hole plate. All it does is use the auger
>> screw to force the material out through the horn.
>
> I found the manual for the grinder online and I noticed the auger/worm
> gear drive in the exploded parts diagram, so yes: no worries there.
>
> If it's strong enough to push nasty ol' meat through small holes in a
> metal plate, then surely it's adequate to handle my pretzel dough.
> Thanks again for the idea!
>
> (Thanks also to Melba and Sky for their helpful replies).

Okay. I know of only one way to make pretzels. They don't "spritz." They
are rolled. My reply told you the same thing theirs did, but if my reply
wasn't "helpful" enough for you, toots, then up yours.

<I've had my fill of mealy mouthed little shits today>

On Feb 24, 8:22 pm, Pennyaline > wrote:

> Okay. I know of only one way to make pretzels. They don't "spritz." They
> are rolled. My reply told you the same thing theirs did, but if my reply
> wasn't "helpful" enough for you, toots, then up yours.
>
> <I've had my fill of mealy mouthed little shits today>

Yo, take it easy there. I already replied to your message--in a
RATIONAL and NON-CONFRONTATIONAL fashion, I might add. I just wanted
to acknowledge the other two posters as well. If you take my thanking
them as some sort of slight against you somehow, well... you're a
nutcase.

I'm not interested in engaging in a ****ing flame war on a cooking
newgroup, for Pete's sake. Find someone else to start up with.