~ Soft & Buttery Pretzels ~

Enjoy Home-Made Warm, Soft and Buttery Pretzels 

in TEN EASY STEPS.

This Recipe takes a little 'elbow grease', but well worth it!  Allow 1 hour for the dough to rise.  

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup white sugar + 1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup sea salt, used to sprinkle on top
2 tablespoons melted butter

LET'S GET STARTED:

1.  Dissolve yeast and only 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water.  Let stand until creamy and foamy (~ 12 min)
2.  In large bowl, mix flour, remaining sugar, and salt.  Making a well in the center, add the oil and yeast mixture.
3.  Mix into a dough.  (If the mixture is dry, you can add one or two tablespoons of water).  Knead the dough until smooth.  (This is the effort part.  It usually takes about 5 - 10 minutes to get that smooth texture).
4.  Place the dough in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled and turn to coat with oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place, for about 1 hour.

WELCOME BACK:

5.  Preheat oven to 450 F.  
6.  Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface.  (You can divide the dough in half and work with the first half, while storing the second half in the covered bowl).  Or,
just separate the dough into equal pieces.  Pull off about hand-full sized pieces of dough and roll into balls.  The larger the pretzels, the softer the inside.  Smaller pretzels will have a little crispness to them.  Both equally a delicious way to enjoy.  We prepare both ways!
7.  One at a time, roll balls into ropes (~ 12 inches long).  Again, depending how big you enjoy your pretzel...I say experiment and make both large and small.
8.  Shape dough into pretzels.  

     Here's How:  
          A)  Shape dough into a "U".
          B)  Cross the two ends of the rope over each other.
          C)  Press the tips into the bottom of the "U".  Pinching to make sure they stay.

9.  In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.  Once dissolved, dip each pretzel into this mixture and then place on a greased baking sheet.  Immediately sprinkle with sea salt.  (BTW - Unrefined sea salt is best).  It is also OK to wait and sprinkle pretzel with salt, after completing step 10.
10.  Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until browned.  After removing from oven, brush with melted butter.