Hot Butter Pretzels

In the newspaper there was an article about homemade pretzels (originally from "King Arthur's Flour Baking Companion") and I decided to give it a try.




Ingredients;

Dough:
- 2 1/2 cups un bleached flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast dissolved in 7/8 to 1 cup warm water (110 - 115 F)

Topping:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt

Knead the dough in a mixer, or by hand for 5 min., until it's smooth, soft, and pretty slack. Then dust it with flour and put it in a plastic bag. Close the bag, (leave room for the dough to expand) and Let it rest for 30 min.

Split the dough into 8 equal pieces. Let the pieces rest, not covered, for 5 minutes.

Roll the pieces of dough into a thin rope, about 22 inches long. Twist each rope into a pretzel shape. Brush each of the pretzels with the warm water mixed with a teaspoon of sugar and set them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them with a little salt. Then let them rest for 10 min. uncovered.

Bake the pretzels in a preheated, 500F oven for 8 to 10 min. or until they're golden brown. But don't forget to reverse the baking sheets half way through.

Take the pretzels out of the oven, and thoroughly brush on three tablespoons of melted butter on the pretzels. It may seem like a lot, but that's what gives them their yummy flavor.

I hope you enjoy the pretzels! They taste best when eaten warm.