Ingredients
Tap to tick offDough
- 1 Cup Milk
Lukewarm - 500 Grams All Purpose Flour
- ½ Tsp Brown Sugar
- 14 Grams Dry Active Yeast
- 40 Grams Salted Butter
- ½ Tsp Fine Salt
Bath
- 1000 mL Water
- 60 Grams Baking Soda
- 2 Tbsp Lye
Topping
- 1 Sprinkle Sea Salt Flakes
Method
In a large bowl
- 1 Cup Milk
Lukewarm - 500 Grams All Purpose Flour
- ½ Tsp Brown Sugar
- 14 Grams Dry Active Yeast
Measure flour and create a well in the center.
Add brown sugar, lukewarm milk, and yeast into the well, and whisk just the contents of well together.
Cover bowl with a tea towel and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Add to bowl
- 40 Grams Salted Butter
- ½ Tsp Fine Salt
Add salt and salted butter. Combine all ingredients, using a stand mixer or by hand, for 5 minutes. Add a splash of milk if needed until the dough feels soft but not sticky.
Cover bowl and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a proofing oven or somewhere warm.
Your dough should be doubled by now. Cut it into even chunks of 120g each using a dough scraper (this makes the perfect size - 140g makes them quite big).
Roll each piece into what looks like a pregnant boa constrictor - thicker in the middle, tapered at the ends. Twist into a pretzel shape, and place on a baking sheet. No need for parchment paper.
You can either leave them on the counter uncovered for 30 minutes, or keep them in the fridge until a skin develops. You can also freeze them at this point if you want to bake them another day.
The bath
- 1000 mL Water
- 60 Grams Baking Soda
- 2 Tbsp Lye
For a baking soda bath: Boil water and baking soda together, then bring to a simmer.
For a lye bath: Dissolve food-grade lye in cold water (be careful with this stuff!).
Dip each pretzel in your chosen bath for 1 minute and place back on the baking sheet.
Time to bake
- 1 Sprinkle Sea Salt Flakes
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Make a deep slash in the thickest section of each pretzel with a sharp knife, then sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through (at 10 minutes). They should be a beautiful deep brown when done.
Best enjoyed warm, slathered with butter.