SOFT PRETZELS
Ingredients
4 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packs)
1 tsp
white sugar
1 ¾ cups warm water
5
cups all-purpose flour
1/2
cup white sugar
1 ¼ tsp
salt
1 tbsp
vegetable oil
½ cup
baking soda
4
cups hot water
Kosher
or Sea salt, for topping
Directions
1.
In a
bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water and add yeast. Let stand in a
warm place until it rises, about 10 minutes.
2. In a
large bowl, mix together flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center; add
the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into dough. If the mixture is dry, add
one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8
minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat
with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in
size, about 1 hour.
3.
Preheat
oven to 400 F.
4.
In a
large pot or bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
5.
When
risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal
pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape.
6. Once all of
the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution for about 30 seconds, place them on a paper towel for 2 seconds to remove the moisture from the bottom and then place them on a greased baking sheet.
(Don't use the parchment paper, the pretzels will stick to it,
use only the greased baking sheet)
7. Give it
a butter or egg wash and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt.
Note: For the sugar cinnamon variation, give the pretzels a butter wash before baking, and after they are done dip them on a sugar+cinnamon mix. They will have to be eaten in the upcoming hours, if left overnight the sugar will become runny.
