October 2014: Soft Pretzels

This month's challenge is to make soft pretzels, you can use any topping, be it sugar, salt, chocolate. Anything you like!



Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 teaspoon fine salt

1/3 cup baking soda
3 cups warm water

Directions
1. Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast.
2. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon.
3. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix.
4. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.
6. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet.
8. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
9. Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the baking soda mix, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
10. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
11. Melt the remaining butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat. Coat the pretzels with topping of your choice.