Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 cups water
- 4 tablespoons baking soda
- Kosher or Sea Salt, or your favorite "Everything" spice mix
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
- Let the yeast sit for 5 minutes until foaming.
- Add the sugar, bread flour and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour.
- Mix by hand or with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic – around 10 minutes, adding the additional ½ cup of all-purpose flour as needed.
- Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- The dough will not necessarily double in size.
- Preheat oven to 500° F.
- Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Set aside.
- Divide the dough into 12-18 pieces, depending upon the size of pretzel you want.
- Roll each piece into a “snake” around 18 inches long.
- Twist the dough into pretzel shapes and firmly pinch the ends to keep them from unfolding in the boiling water.
- Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Add the baking soda and stir to dissolve.
- Dip each pretzel in the baking-soda/water for 5 to 10 seconds making sure the pretzel is completely immersed.
- Shake off excess water, and place the pretzel on the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with your favorite toppings.
- Repeat with remaining pretzels.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm with your favorite hearty soup (Minestrone!) or dipping sauce (like hot spicy mustard).