PRETZELS
Twelve 5-inch pretzels
A chewy pretzel that is easy to make. Baking the baking soda (used in the water bath for the pretzels), a trick from food scientist Harold McGee, creates a stronger alkali, which gets these pretzels closer to authentic lye-bathed ones without all the hazards that come with using lye.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread out in an even layer on the foil:
- ½ cup (135g) baking soda
Bake the baking soda for 1 hour. Set aside.
Combine in a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook:
- 1 cup (235g) warm (105° to 115°F) water
- 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
Add:
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (200g) bread flour
- 2 tablespoons butter (30g) or shortening (25g), melted
- 1 tablespoon (10g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Mix by hand or on low speed, adding more flour or water if needed to make a moist but not sticky dough. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (75° to 85°F) until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. On an unfloured work surface, roll each piece into a ball. Loosely cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
Grease 2 baking sheets. Roll each ball into an 18-inch-long rope, working from the center outward and slightly tapering the ends. Bring the ends of each rope of dough to meet in front of you and form an oval, but do not join the ends. Lift the two ends and twist the dough ropes around each other about 3 inches from the ends. Gently press one end into the dough at 2 o’clock and the other at 10 o’clock. Place the pretzels on the baking sheets, cover, and let rise in a warm place (75° to 85°F) until nearly doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.
While the pretzels rise, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring to a boil in a big pot or deep skillet:
- 10 cups water
Add the baked baking soda to the water and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, gently slide several pretzels at a time into the water. Simmer for 30 seconds, then flip them over and continue to simmer until puffed, about 30 seconds longer. Drain off any excess water and pat the pretzels dry. Return to the greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with:
- Coarse salt or pretzel salt
Bake until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.