Pretzels

Pintrest Objective: http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022385557/
Original post: http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/archive/2009/03/27/kitchenista-soft-pretzels.aspx

These warm soft mall inspired pretzels are a sure way to fill a craving and keep your wallet full!


What you'll need:

1 1/4 cups warm water 

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

Do not add these to the pretzel mix, but you'll need them:

1/3 cup baking soda

3 cups water

Pretzel coating:

Coarse kosher salt

Melted butter

Add brown sugar and yeast to warm water. set aside until it has activated. Combine all ingredients into the mixer. Mix as much as you can and do the rest by hand.

Place in greased bowl in a warm area for 30 minutes until doubled in size.

Turn out onto a clean surface and cut into equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope and shape into a pretzel, gently pinching the dough where it touches so it holds its shape.  I always seem to make mine tiny and fat.  In other words if you really want them long, you have to roll the rope long and thin- mine always breaks.

Dissolve the baking soda in 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Place the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove and place on a greased baking sheet. This was fun because if you pay enough attention you'll notice they kinda pop and are a bit bigger when they come out.

 Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt.

Bake at 500 degrees until pretzels are deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Brush with melted butter and serve immediately.  

Verdict: These are much better than the ones I was making before ( I wasn't putting them in boiling baking soda water). Of course anything brushed with butter tastes better, but they do taste like mall pretzels, even if mine are tiny and fat.