Soft Pretzel

Soft Pretzels:
Total Prep/Cook Time: 3 hours

These make a GREAT (at home movie night) snack!

Ingredients:
4 tbs Yeast
1 tsp Sugar
1 1/4 C warm water
5 C Flour
1/2 C Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbs Canola Oil (can use extra virgin Olive Oil if needed)
10 C hot boiling water
3/4 C Baking Soda
Pretzel salt (coarse Sea Salt) or Cinnamon and Sugar (to taste)
1 Egg (whipped until frothy)

Directions:
1. In the bottom of your mixer dissolve 1 tsp sugar and the yeast in the 1 1/4 cup of warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble and rise.
2. Add salt, 1/2 cup sugar, oil, and 1 cup of the flour. Mix for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the rest of the flour 1 cup at a time till all 5 cups are added.
(Your dough will seem stiff at first, but the pretzels still turn out very soft and you need all the flour or your finished product will be more like a roll than a pretzel).
4. Once all the flour is added mix on high for about 8 minutes.
5. Let the dough rest and rise for 1 1/2-2 hours. The dough needs to rise until at least doubled in size. Make sure to allow the dough to fully rise.
6. Heat your oven to 450 degrees.
7. Punch the dough down and divide it into 12 equal portions. Use a sharp knife sprayed with cooking spray and a cutting board for this step.
8. Place each piece on a sprayed cookie sheet and let them rest for an additional 10 minutes.
9. Combine the 10 cups water and baking soda in a large pot. Bring it to a boil.
10. While the water heats, after the 10 minutes have passed, roll each dough piece into a long thin rope. Twist it into a pretzel shape.
11. Put each piece (one at a time) into the boiling water for 30 seconds.
12. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet (or wax/parchment paper covered) and brush the beaten egg over the top.
13. Sprinkle with pretzel salt or leave unsalted and add cinnamon/sugar when they come out of the oven.
14. Bake for 8 minutes, till golden brown.

Happy Cooking!