Soft Pretzels Draft

How I make it

Dough

1. Sift the flour into the stand mixer bowl. Add the salt and mix well. Add the sugar and mix. Add the yeast and mix until evenly distributed.

2. With the dough hook running, add the butter cubes and the water until a dough forms.

3. Knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is very soft and elastic. If it's too sticky and clings to the bottom of the bowl, add another 1-2 tbsp flour and knead well.

4. Oil the bowl and turn the dough in it to coat on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise for about 1½ hours, or until doubled.

Shaping

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large, wide pot, bring the water and baking soda to a boil together.

2. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 135 g / 4¾ oz each). Roll each into a long, thin rope of even thickness, about ⅜ inch (1 cm).

3. Shape the rope into a U and cross the ends downward. Twist the ends around each other once more and press them firmly onto the dough so they don't open during boiling and baking.

4. Place the shaped pretzels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Prepare a second sheet with parchment greased with cooking spray or brushed with a thin layer of oil.

Boiling and baking

1. Boil the pretzels in the bubbling water, one or two at a time, for about 30 seconds, until they float and puff slightly.

2. Lift out with a slotted spoon, let the excess water drip back into the pot, and place on the greased parchment.

3. Brush well with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little coarse salt.

4. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until golden. Let cool before peeling them off the parchment.

What I've learned

• While I shape each pretzel, I keep the rest of the dough covered so it doesn't dry out.
• The rope should be thin, about ⅜ inch (1 cm), and can reach about 3 feet (1 m) long. The dough puffs when boiled and baked, and a thick rope turns into one big lump, so I clear a long work surface.
• I bring the baking soda to a boil with the water rather than adding it to boiling water; otherwise it foams up and boils over all over the stove.
• If scum collects on top of the water from the baking soda, I skim it off with a spoon.
• Baked pretzels tend to stick to the paper, so I grease it and peel them off only once they've cooled completely.
• The baked pretzels freeze well; I thaw them and warm them briefly in the oven before serving.
• I also freeze the shaped dough. I boil it straight from the freezer, adding a few seconds to the boil and a minute or two to the bake, so they're ready fast right before serving.