Sweet Plum and Vanilla Gin Tonic

Name: Vegan Caramelized Shallots and Feta Stuffed Pretzels
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 4 cups (510g) all-purpose flour ((see notes)); 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 ½ cup warm water; 2 tbsp Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil; 1 tbsp Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil; 4 cups (454g) peeled and sliced shallots; 2 garlic cloves (, finely minced); 2 tsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp fresh thyme ((or ½ tsp dried)); Pinch of sea salt; Pinch of black pepper; ½ packed cup (100g) crumbled vegan feta; 6 cups water; ⅓ cup baking soda; Coarse sea salt; Sesame seeds; Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil (, for drizzling)

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Summer, Cocktails

GF NF OF

2 hours Prep: 15 mins Cook: 1 hour Rising Time: 45 mins

Serves 8

Chewy, decadent, lightly sweet, and delightfully salty, these vegan caramelized shallots and feta pretzels are a true crowd pleaser! Whether you are preparing them for a festive holiday party, a movie night with friends, or a sporting event, they are sure to impress everyone who tries them.

Ingredients

Pretzel Dough

4 cups (510g) all-purpose flour (see notes)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 ½ cup warm water
2 tbsp Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil

Caramelized Shallot and Feta Filling

1 tbsp Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil
4 cups (454g) peeled and sliced shallots
2 garlic cloves , finely minced
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
½ packed cup (100g) crumbled vegan feta

Dipping Bath & Topping

6 cups water
⅓ cup baking soda
Coarse sea salt
Sesame seeds
Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil , for drizzling

Prepare the Pretzel Dough

Step 1
To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, instant yeast and sea salt. Stir to combine.
Step 2
Add the warm water and olive oil. Use a spatula to incorporate until the dough comes together.
Step 3
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface (see notes for stand mixer option). Knead the dough to form a smooth homogenous ball. If you notice that your dough is too sticky, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If you notice that the dough is too dry and has a shredded appearance, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, kneading thoroughly between each addition.
Step 4
Place the dough back into the bowl, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm environment (I like to preheat my oven to 100ºF, turn it off and place my dough to rise in there).

Prepare the Filling

Step 1
In a medium sized saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.
Step 2
Add the shallots and cook until translucent, stirring regularly. Be careful not to crisp the shallots up!
Step 3
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan and caramelize the shallots for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the shallots from sticking to the pan. If you notice that the shallots are burning up or crisping up instead of caramelizing and softening, reduce the heat to low.
Step 4
Once the shallots have turned an amber-brown color, are soft, and sweet in flavor, remove the lid. Add the minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute.
Step 5
At this stage, if I notice find that my shallots are too wet in texture, I like to turn up the heat to help the extra moisture evaporate. I stay very close and stir constantly to prevent the shallots from burning.
Step 6
Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 7
Add the crumbled feta to the bowl with the shallots and stir to combine.

Assemble the pretzels

Step 1
Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out your dough into a 40cm by 30cm rectangle.
Step 2
Cut 8 strips of about 5cm in width and 30cm in length. I like to use a pizza cutter for this.
Step 3
Pick up a strip and roll it out a little more in width to make extra space for the filling.
Step 4
Divide your caramelized onion filling by 8. This does not have to be very precise, but if you would like it to be, you can weight the amount of filling you got and divide that number by 8 then scoop out the exact number of grams onto your pretzel strip. Make sure to leave some space (free of filling) on each side of the strip and at the end of it.
Step 5
Pinch the sides for your pretzel together to form a rope, encasing the filling.
Step 6
Form a U shape then twist both ends together twice. Bring the twisted ends back down towards the bottom of the U and pinch them down to form a pretzel shape. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Boil & Bake

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
Bring the water and baking soda to a boil. Using a slotted spatula, drop one or two pretzels at a time in the water for 20 seconds until they have slightly puffed up (don't go past the 30 second mark or else your pretzels will have a metallic taste).
Step 3
Remove from the water and set on a prepared baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle on some coarse salt and sesame seeds. Repeat with the remainder of the pretzels.
Step 4
Drizzle with some olive oil and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until dark brown in color. Enjoy warm!
Step 5
Reheat these in the airfryer at 350ºF for 3 minutes or in a preheated conventional oven at 300ºF for 6 minutes.

Common Questions & Swaps

The amount of flour will really depend on how you measure it. For baked goods, I have started weighting my dry ingredients to get consistent results every time, so I would suggest doing the same for this recipe.
If you choose to make this dough using a stand mixer with the dough attachment, you can put all the dough ingredients together directly in the bowl of the stand mixer. Start with the dry ingredients as directed. Give them a good stir. Add the wet ingredients and process on low speed (I stayed between 3 and 4) until a ball forms. If you notice that the dough is really sticking, add flour, a tablespoon at a time.

Sweet Plum and Vanilla Gin Tonic on a table outside

Two glasses of Sweet Plum and Vanilla Gin Tonic on a table with Empress 1908 Gin

Recipe created in the context of an Instagram partnership with Empress 1908 Gin.

With the summer coming to a close, there has never been a better time to highlight the last abundance of in-season fruits!

This drink was inspired by my love (and dare I say obsession!) with plums. Wonderfully sweet with a tart skin, the plums used in this cocktail are stewed together with vanilla bean and sugar, resulting in a sweet and fragrant syrup that pairs perfectly with Empress 1908 Gin.

You can sip this cocktail as you watch the last rays of sun set on a late summer evening or paired with your favorite barbecue meal.

Regardless of how you choose to indulge in this refreshment, I urge you to truly savor the moment. Be present. Taste the subtleties of flavor. Notice the bubbles pop on your tongue and let yourself remember all the beautiful moments this summer season has brought!

Closeup of a tall glass filled with a Sweet Plum and Vanilla Gin Tonic

When it comes to the ingredients used in this recipe, below are the ones I used.

For any modifications, refer to the Common Questions & Swaps section.

Plums: Sweet and slightly tart, plums are the heroes of this cocktail as they are featured in the sweet and fragrant Vanilla-Plum Syrup. Opt for ripe and juicy plums for ultimate flavor.

Granulated sugar: It is the sweetener of the Vanilla-Plum Syrup that gives this cocktail its sweetness.

Vanilla Bean: The vanilla bean adds a fragrant and sweet aroma to this fizzy cocktail and really complements wonderfully the flavor of the plums.

Empress 1908 Gin: With its botanical notes and stunning colour, this Canadian gin really brings life to this refreshing cocktail.

Tonic water: I used it to give this cocktail its traditional gin tonic fizz.

Ice: It is what helps turn the gin cold.

I encourage you, as you prepare this Sweet Plum and Vanilla Gin Tonic, to notice the sweet aroma of stewed plums and vanilla envelop your kitchen. Slowly stir the syrup and gin mixture into the tonic water and observe how the natural shades of purple swirl around your glass, finalizing your gorgeous creation.

If you make this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you left a review above in the recipe box and shared about it on social media. Don’t forget to tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Happy Sipping ✨