soft pretzels

In mid-November I went to a clothing swap and potluck at my friend Melissa's house. I had decided, based on nothing other than a fleeting thought, that I'd like to try my hand at pretzel-making and contribute sweet and savoury homemade soft pretzels for the occasion. I was a little nervous, since I have little experience working with bread doughs, but they were actually pretty easy (despite being somewhat time consuming). They were definitely worth the effort though, especially since the potluck ended up being a celebration for Melissa's recent engagement, making it an extra special Sunday afternoon. And what says, congratulations better than a pretzel? Well, lots of things, but pretzels were all I had.

Ingredients (adapted from all recipes)

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
Kosher salt or cinnamon and sugar for topping

Directions

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. 
• Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. 
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
• When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. 
• Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt or cinnamon sugar topping. You may want to use parchment paper or set the pretzel on a paper towel before placing it on the pan. I found they stuck a bit because of the salt water.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.
• Brush with melted butter as soon they come out of the oven. Serve warm if possible.