Soft Pretzels - Probaby the best Pretzels in the World!

Warm Soft Pretzels and Cold Beer - does it get any better without gravy?

For 1 dozen 6-inch Pretzels 

• 1 tbsp or 1x7g package of fast action yeast (or equivalent)
• 1 tbsp sugar (I used soft brown this time)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp softened butter, softened margarine lard or shortening - pick your clogger
• 250g of warm (40 - 45 degC) water
• 450g cups plain or bread flour
• Coarse Salt or sea salt to sprinkle on Pretzels before baking
• 2 tbsp baking soda mixed in 2 pints of water in a non-aluminum saucepan.
• 1 large slotted spoon to "go fishing" for them pretzels.

Preheat oven to 250 degC

Put yeast, sugar, salt, butter/marg, water and 165g of the flour into a medium mixing bowl and pour in the water.  Stir until it's all smooth and leave somewhere warm until yeast starts to bubble.

At this point add the rest of the flour, stir till it is mixed in. When mixture is too stiff to stir with a spoon, begin kneading.

Knead dough till it's smooth.  Place back into cleaned out mixing bowl, sprayed with water and then spray the dough a bit.

Cover with cling film and place somewhere warm then allow dough to rise to about double its volume.  While dough is rising, bring water and baking soda to boil.

When dough is risen enough, punch down, knead for a minute or so, then divide into 12 equal pieces and roll into either 6-inch sticks with your hands, to about 1/2 inch in diameter, or 12-15-inch long rolls to make into the pretzel shape.  I like to make them taper away from a thicker middle to thinner ends to get the classic pretzel shape (below).

To make the classic 'Pretzel' shape follow, start with this shape.

and then fold the top half back towards you like this and push the ends down (or brush lightly with water to seal)

Allow sticks or pretzels to sit for about 1-2 mins. Place them into boiling water-baking soda mixture one or two at a time.

Let the pretzels boil for 1 minute 10 seconds, then flip them over with the slotted spoon and boil on the other side for 1 minute and 10 seconds.

This boiling step gives them a firm skin and adds some flavour. Not boiling long enough leaves them too soft and allows them to rise too much. Boiling too long makes them tough.

Fish them out of the water, let them drip dry a bit and place them on a lightly greased or non-stick baking tray.  When all the pretzels or sticks are done, sprinkle the coarse salt on them.  (I've made 6 pretzels like that and 6 sticks with a vinegar/salt/mustard glaze as shown below, with the RH 3 having fresh ground black pepper added for a wee kick.  1tbsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp of sea salt and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard)

Bake for 12-15 minutes or till sticks or pretzels are golden brown.