Soft Pretzels

Ahhhhhhhhh… the soft pretzel.  Warn, soft, chewy, salty or sweet.  There is so much to love about these guys.  They are also the perfect snack.  Whether you eat them sweet or salty, hot and fresh out of the oven they are sure to please.  

Severing accompaniment suggestions:  Salt, cinnamon sugar, melted chocolate, mustard or with melted cheese on top.  What do you like on your pretzels?

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Soft Pretzels

Time: 20 Mins. Prep, 1 Hr. Rest, 20 Mins. Cooking

Yield: 8 Pretzels

Ingredients

• 360ml (1 1/2 Cups) Warm Water*
  
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
  
• 1 Envelope Active Dry Deast OR 21g Fresh Yeast
  
• 624g(22oz./4 1/3 Cups) All-purpose flour
• 2 Teaspoons Salt
• 56g (2oz./4 Tablespoon) Unsalted Butter, melted
  
• Vegetable Oil, for the bowl and pan
  
• 2365.88ml (10 Cups) water
  
• 85g(2/3 Cup) baking soda
  
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  
• Pretzel salt*

Procedure

1. In a large bowl, stir to combine warm water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture foams.
2. Onto of the yeast and water mixture add the flour, salt and butter, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Lightly oil your working surface, turn the dough knead out onto the oil and knead until the dough is smooth about 5-10 minutes.  Lightly coat the bowl with oil, place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.*
3. Bring the 2365.88ml/10 cups water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a large shallow pan.*
4. Preheat the oven to 232°C/450°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with oil. Set aside.
5. While the water and oven heat, turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. You will then roll out each piece of dough into a 62cm/24″ long rope. Then shape the rope into a U, while holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the traditional pretzel shape. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, and placing 4 on each prepared sheetpan.
6. In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and water, set aside.  
7. Place the pretzels in the boiling water for 30 seconds one at a time. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula or spider strainer. Return them to the sheet pans, brush the top of each pretzel with the egg mixture, and sprinkle with your salt of choice.
8. Bake until dark golden brown in color, 12-20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.*

Tips:

• Make sure your water is no warmer than 110°F-115°F (43°C-46°C)
• So, I didn’t have access to pretzel salt.  I just used some kosher salt but sea salt would be good too.  To be honest I think whatever salt you have is fine.  Don’t let that be a barrier to making pretzels.  
• Remember, time to rise will depend on how warm it is.  So if it is a hot day or it is very warm in your kitchen it may go faster.  It is also ok to let it go longer.  Don’t worry.  I had something come up and 4 hours later when I came back it had filled my whole bowl.  They were extra yeasty and tasty.
• If you don’t have something to hold that much liquid never fear!  I used a sauté pan and did 2 batches using half the water and baking soda, and cooking half the pretzels.
• Mine didn’t brown in the suggested time.  I don’t know if my oven just wasn’t hot enough or what.  But it took about 25 minutes.  It may be better to bake them one and a time and rotate the pans from top to bottom, front to back, to ensure even browning.

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