Homemade Pretzels

Homemade Pretzels

from Alton Brown
and 
Macheesmo.com

*******I only used 1/3 C baking soda 
and it worked perfectly

reviewers claimed that 
using the amt in the recipe 

made it taste like baking soda


*** I used 4 oz butter because
Homemade Pretzels
Directions:
 comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
 It should form a soft ball after about 4 or 5 minutes.
 in a cup of water every few minutes and
 use it to mix the dough
comes together in a nice ball. 
4) After 5 minutes or so of kneading, 
transfer the dough to a bowl
 that has been coated with vegetable oil 
and turn it a few times
and let it sit at room temperature 
for 60 minutes to rise.
about a 2 foot strip, starting
 from the center and rolling out gently
. If it isn’t stretching you
 and gently whip it up and 
down. It will loosen up the gluten a bit. 
Then take the left end and wrap it to
 the center and then overlay 
the right side. Then kind of adjust it 
so it's pretzel-like.






 the dough was to dry
the recipe says it makes 8
but mine mine 13 
I think it depends on the size 
of the pretzel
you make

Y

1 1/2 Cups warm water,

110 degrees or should be pretty warm to the touch.

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Teaspoons kosher salt

2 1/4 Teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)

22 ounces All-purpose flour, about 4.5 Cups

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted***

Vegetable oil

15 Cups water

1 Cup baking soda*******

1 large egg

Pretzel salt

1) Combine the water, sugar, salt and

yeast into a bowl 

and let it sit for 5 minutes.

2) Mix in the melted butter and flour.

If you have a mixer,

just put on the dough hook and let it work until the dough

3) Without a mixer, to simulate

a dough hook,dip your hand

vigorously. After a few minutes it 

 to coat the dough ball with oil. Cover it 

5) Take the dough and divide it

evenly (a dough cutter is helpful here)

into 8 pieces. 

 6) Roll the dough out into 

can hold the dough by both ends

7) Bring the water and baking soda to

a rolling boil and gently lay in a pretzel,

one or two at a time. You’ll need a pretty

good sized pot. The pretzel will float

and after about 30 seconds,

flip it over in the water with a spatula

to get the other side. Then after another

30 gently lift it out and place it

on a parchment lined baking sheet,

ready to go for the oven.

8) Once the pretzels come out of the boil,

brush them with some egg wash (1 egg and

1 Tablespoon water) and then sprinkle

them generously with the pretzel salt.

9) Bake at 450 degrees for about 14 minutes.

10) Immediately move them to a cooling rack.

11) After they cool you can pile

them high on a plate.

Or eat them right away!

I like mine with just a bit of mustard.