Pretzel
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water
- Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and kosher salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add the flour and melted butter to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
- In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and stir until it dissolves.
- Divide the dough into 12-16 equal pieces and roll each piece into a long rope. Shape the rope into a pretzel shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Dip each pretzel in the boiling water solution for 30 seconds and place back on the baking sheet. Repeat with all pretzels.
- Brush each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Note: You can also experiment with adding different toppings or dipping sauces to your pretzels, such as cinnamon sugar, garlic butter, or mustard.
