bread: home made pretzels

Homemade Pretzels
Combine in a large bowl:

½ cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast

Allow the yeast to fully dissolve (about 5 minutes).

Add:

1 ½ cups organic all purpose flour
1 ½ cups organic bread flour
2 tbsp local butter, melted
1 tbsp raw sugar

Mix by hand while slowly adding:

½ cup warm water

Method

1. Stir ingredients until it comes out to a smooth, moist dough. Knead for about 10 minutes, but do not over knead so that the dough becomes rubbery.

2. Transfer dough to a bowl coated with olive oil. Turn the dough until it becomes lightly coated with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and place in the oven (makes sure it's off) to rise for about 1 ½ hours.

3. Punch down the dough using a closed fist to release some of the gases created by the fermentation process. Then divide into 12 pieces. Each piece should be about 2 ounces. Roll each into a ball. Brush each with olive oil and let rest under a clean cloth for ten minutes.

4. Roll each ball out into an 18-inch rope. Form into pretzels by pulling the ends towards you to create an oval, but do not join the ends.

5. Cross the ends, twist, and connect an end at 3 o'clock and the other at 7 o'clock. Lightly press each end into the dough to create the classic pretzel shape.

6. Place the pretzels on a greased baking sheet and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a large pot half full with water (8 cups) and bring to boil. Add 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp of baking soda.

8. Turn the water down to a simmer. Gently add each pretzel into the mixture and cook for about 30 seconds. Flip and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds, until puffed.

9. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.

10. Bake until pretzels begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Brush with melted butter and allow to bake until golden brown.