Soft Pretzels

It's not very often I make snack food (although the Crescent Rolls were a bit hit) but when an event as special as watching the women's Olympic marathon rolls around, it's time to turn on the oven and cook accordingly.  A few friends and I got together to do what only nerdy runners do - record an entire marathon and swear off Facebook,  Twitter and the news for the day to avoid learning results - so I made these soft pretzels to help celebrate this special occasion and/or lack of internet contact.

I always crave a good soft pretzel, whether it be from my personal favorite Dayton Farmers Market in the Shenandoah Valley or the more commercialized Auntie Annie's version, they've always had a special place in my taste bud's heart.  Surprisingly, these soft pretzels aren't very difficult to make.  They're time consuming, yes, but oddly simple considering the warm fuzzy feelings they elicit.  Give them a try - you'll be very pleased with the results.


Soft Pretzels
*recipe adapted from Food 52

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup skim milk, scalded then cooled to lukewarm temperature
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
3 cups water
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp milk
Course salt

In a large mixing bowl, mix the active dry yeast with cooled milk, then add maple syrup and 1 cup flour.  Add in salt and butter and continue adding flour until completely mixed.  I recommend using the dough hook of a standing mixer.

Next, cover the bowl with Saran wrap and let the dough rise for at least an hour - you should wait until the dough has doubled in size.  Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 450.

Lightly flour a cutting board and cut the dough into 8 equal parts.

Roll the dough into long snake-like shapes spanning about 24 inches.  It may take a few attempts to roll the dough to this length - the dough is very spring-like and snaps back to a shorter size.  Be patient.  Once your dough is rolled, twist them into a pretzel shape.  I like to think that I'm making a heart and then twisting the middle together.  Kind of romantic, right?

Boil the 3 cups of water in a saucepan.  Once boiling, add the baking soda.  Transfer each pretzel individually into the water/baking soda mixture with a spatula and rest for 30 seconds.  The dough will puff up.  Repeat for each pretzel.

Place each pretzel on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Spread the egg yolk/milk mixture on each pretzel and coat with course salt, to taste.

Bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven, just until the outside of the pretzels are lightly browned.  Enjoy!