These pretzels are absolutely delicious! When you bake them your whole house will smell like the pretzel shops you walk past at the mall. Kosher salt is sold at most grocery stores and has bigger grains than table salt. My rating: 5 out of 5.
Soft Pretzels
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup warm milk
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups bread flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter, softened
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp water
kosher salt
Combine water, milk, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Sprinkle yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Add flour and butter. Stir until well-combined.
Knead for 5-10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Put dough into bowl and cover with plastic wrap that has also been sprayed.
Let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour.
Put water and baking soda in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
While water is heating up, divide dough into eight sections.
Roll each section into a "snake" that is about 12" long. Let dough sit for five minutes.
Now roll the dough into a longer "snake" of about 18". Form the dough into a pretzel shape.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or grease them).
Put each pretzel individually into the pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and place on a baking sheet. Put four pretzels per sheet.
Beat egg yolk with 2 Tbsp water. Brush over the top of the prezels. Add salt.
Bake at 450 for 13-14 minutes. Check on the pretzels after 9 minutes and top with a sheet of aluminum foil if they are getting overly browned.
