Pretzels

Tweeted: December 5th

Recipe Origin: King Arthur Flour - The Bakers Companion, pg. 229

Hot Buttered Pretzels
8 pretzels

Dough

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

7/8 - 1cup warm water

Topping

1/2  cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

course, kosher, or pretzel salt

3 tbsp salted butter, melted

Place all the dough ingredients in a abowl and beat until well combined.  Knead the dough, by hand or mixer, for about 5 minutes, until it's soft, smooth, and quite slack.  Dust with flour and place in a plastic bag.  Close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Grease two baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and divide it into eight equal pieces (about 2 1/4 ounces each).  Let the pieces rest, uncovered, for 5 min.

Roll each piece of dough into a long thin rope and twist each rope into a pretzel (illustration to come at a later date). Dip the pretzels in the warm water mixed with 1 tsp sugar, and place them on the baking sheets.  Springle them lightly with the salt.  Let them rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8-9 minutes, until they're golden brown, reversing the baking sheets halfway through.

Remove the pretzels from the oven and brush with the melted butter until the butter is gone. Seems like a lot but it's yummy.  Eat warm or reheat just before serving.

Serve with plain yellow mustard or spice it up with some horseradish, other spices or find some of the many many recipes online for pretzel dips like beer and cheese dips.  MMM.

Enjoy!