Pretzels

1 cup milk
1 packet active dry yeast (7g)
3 Tbs brown sugar, packed
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus for kneading 
140g unsalted butter
1 tsp fine salt
1/3 cup baking soda
2 Tbs coarse salt

Warm the milk and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2mins. Stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Soften butter and stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 mins. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1hr. Preheat the oven to 230C and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 75cm rope. Form each rope into a pretzel shape. Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10mins.
Makes 8
Food Network


To double recipe don't double yeast.

To brush soda solution:
1/4 cup water
1 tsp baking soda via

Make Ahead 
Pretzels baked without salt can be frozen for up to 1 month. Spray the frozen pretzels with water and sprinkle with salt before reheating in a 135°C oven until warmed through, about 10mins. via