How to Make Pretzels in Four Easy Steps

These pretzels are delicious, quick, easy, and fun to make. This would also probably be a good project to do with kids (though you might want to do the third step for them because it involves hot water). Also, this is my first cooking instructable so if you see any mistakes please tell me. Note: The cooking skills involved in this instructable is poaching (step 3) and following a recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour divided
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon corse sea salt, or to taste
• cooking oil

Tools

• large mixing bowl
• large measuring cup for liquids
• assorted dry measuring cups
• assorted measuring spoons
• large baking trays
• convection oven
• timer

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided (512 g)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast(8.50 g)
• 1 teaspoon white sugar (4.2 g)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened (28.4 g)
• 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water (315 ml)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (1.5 g)
• 3 tablespoons baking soda (43.20 g)
• 3 cups water (709 ml)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (42.6 g)
• 1 tablespoon corse sea salt(17.06 g), or to taste

Tools:

• large mixing bowl
• large measuring cup for liquids
• assorted dry measuring cups
• assorted measuring spoons
• large baking trays
• convection oven
• timer

Get your large bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1 1/3 cup of warm water. Mix it and let the mixture stand until it starts bubbling (about 10 minutes). Once it has started bubbling, stir in the 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 remaining cups of flour. Mix until you are able to pick it up. Then sprinkle some flour on your counter, take the dough out of bowl and put on the counter. Start kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). It should not be sticky (add more flour if needed). Stop kneading when you can poke it and it bounces back slightly.

Roll the dough into a cylinder approximately the length of the distance from your wrist to your elbow. Cut it in half using a knife (a bread knife works the best for this), divide each half into 3 equal parts, and roll each piece into a 15 inch rope. Fold each of the dough ropes to look like the 5th photo. Then twist the two ends over each other once and pinch down the ends to look like the 6th photo.

Preheat your oven to 450°F (220°C). Put the remaining 3 cups of water in your pot or pan, add the baking soda, and bring the water to a boil (You can use more water if you want for the soda bath. Remember for every cup of water you add, add another tablespoon of baking soda). Once the water is boiling, remove it from the heat. Next, dip the pretzels into the soda bath for 45 seconds and flip them over halfway through. Place the soaked pretzels on a greased baking tray and sprinkle them with the coarse sea salt. Put them in the oven and bake until they are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Once they are finished in the oven, take them out and put them on a wire cooling rack. Before they are completely cool, brush the melted butter on them. Now you can eat them:)

If you like this project, please follow me and vote for me in the Kitchen Skills Challenge. Also if you notice any mistakes or have any questions please leave a comment. :4)