Pretzel

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 1 hour
• total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 oz. (10g) active dry yeast packet

1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F/37°C to 47°C)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter (melted)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 - 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

8 cups water

1/2 cup baking soda

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon cold water

coarse salt (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (the dough will be sticky).

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water and baking soda to a boil. Punch the dough down and divide it into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a log and shape into a traditional pretzel. Add the pretzels to the boiling water, a few at a time, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Place the pretzels on greased baking sheets. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolk and cold water, then brush the mixture over the pretzels. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pans and transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve warm.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 g
• Calories: 183 kcal
• Total Fat: 3 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg
• Sodium: 2855 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 34 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 5 g