Breze

A German soft Breze or Brezel

Brezel(n) or Brezen (singular Brezel or Breze) are a common baked food in Germany, especially the southern part. It is from this German food that the American pretzel developed. They share a knot shape and the salty taste. However unlike the hard and small pretzel, a breze is about 15cm wide. It is either hard and crisp, or has a soft inside and a crunchy outside. The characteristic colour and taste are due to the dough being dipped into lye and coarse salt before being baked.

Also available, especially at festivities like the Oktoberfest is the "Riesenbreze" (giant pretzel), roughly 30 by 25 cm, usually consumed with Hendl or Beer. Brezen are also eaten for breakfast and as a snack.

The word breze is ultimately derived from the Latin brachiatus, having branches like arms, from brachium, meaning arm.

Breze

See also