Pretzels Recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of water
  
• 3 1/4 of cups of all purpose flower
  
• 1 tsp of sugar (I use brown but it doesn't matter)
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
  
• 1 ounce of unsalted and melted butter (2 tsp)
  
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 cup baking soda
  
• 8 more cups of water
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• pretzel salt
  

Steps

1. Using a mixer, mix the water (lukewarm), the sugar and the salt (until the two latter are completely dissolved).
   
2. Add the yeast and stir softly (get rid of any yeast lumps by pressing them on to the sides of the bowl). Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes in order to get the yeast working (you can tell the yeast is ready when the mixture starts to foam and produce little bubbles).
   
3. Add the flour and the butter (make sure you sprinkle the flour over the mixture, as it will be easier to mix than if you add it in a big pile).
   
4. Using the dough attachment on the mixer, mix on the lowest speed until it is all neatly combined (until you can't see separate ingredients anywhere).
   
5. Now change the speed to medium and let it work the dough until you can see clearly that it pulls off from the bowl (it takes around 5 minutes). If the mixture is still gooey and does not pull off from the bowl, then add a Tbsp of flour at time and keep on steering until the consistency is right (1 Tbsp should do it).
   
6. Grease a separate bowl with the oil and put the dough in it. Make sure the bowl is large enough so the dough won't spill over when it rises. Cover it with cling wrap and let it sit somewhere warm for an hour (near the stove, but make sure it does not catch on fire. Or even in the oven, turned off naturally).
   
7. After the hour, when the dough is nice and big. Mix the 8 cups of water and the baking soda in a shallow pan. Bring them to a boil and then turn the heat off.
   
8. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C)
   
9. Meanwhile, grease a work surface with some oil and place the dough on it (make sure you grease your hands a little as well). Roll the dough into a think rope about the length of your forearm (the length from the tip of your middle finger to your elbow). Divide it into 8 more or less equal size pieces.
   
10. Roll out each piece into a thin rope, about as long as your forearm and a half.
    
11. Make the shape you want. Fold them towards yourself and press each end on to the dough that is forming the base of the u-shape. Make sure these ends are securely pressed or they will loosen later when you drop them in the boiling water.
    
12. Place the pretzels on a greased baking sheet (or lined with parchment paper).
    
13. Drop each pretzel carefully, one by one, into the boiling water for around 50 seconds (counting), and place them back on the baking sheet.
    
14. Mix the egg yolk with 1Tbsp of water and brush each pretzel with this mixture. Sprinkle each one with the pretzel salt (thick salt).
    
15. Place in the oven for about 12 minutes. Make sure they are golden brown before taking them out.
    
16. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, no more, as they are great to serve warm and fresh. (I put them on a cooling rack to cool, as it helps avoid the bottoms getting a bit soggy from their own steam)
    

Tips

• You can divide the dough into smaller pieces and make more pretzels of a smaller size (they will take less to bake).
  
• Try different shapes. If you are in a hurry, simple sticks are the way to go.
  
• Sprinkle the pretzels with a mixture of salt and sesame seeds. Or only sesame seeds, or even some Parmesan cheese.
  
• If you want to freeze them. Bake the pretzels and let them cool completely. Place them in the freezer in Ziploc bags. Then just take them out before hand, let them defrost and warm them up in the oven or microwave.