How To Make Soft Pretzels

Step 1

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and oil in a bowl and allow it to rest for a few minutes to activate and foam up a little.

Step 3

Add the yeast mixture into the large bowl with flour and mix it all together into a dough.

Step 4

You can do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook, using a hand mixer, a food processor with a dough blade, or even by hand (though that'll take a bit longer and be more hands-on prep).Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (when stretching the dough, it shouldn't break off). If you give the dough a poke, it should quickly bounce back - if the indentation stays, knead it a little longer.In a machine, this can take as little as 5 minutes. By hand, it may take up to 15, so be patient.

Step 5

Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use the same one as before) and leave it to rest in a warm place for around an hour. During this time, it should double in size.If you don't live somewhere very warm, you can leave the dough covered in the oven with the oven light (but no heat).

Step 6

After proofing, gently deflate the dough, remove it from the bowl and divide it into 8 pieces.I find it best to weigh the dough for the most accurate results, so my dough weighed 795g (28oz) and was separated to roughly 100g each (3.5oz).

Step 7

Roll each piece into a rope around 60-65cm long (23-25.6 inches). Now It's time to shape the pretzel.

Step 8

Form each rope into a U shape on your kitchen counter and twist the two ends together a few inches from the top. Twist them a second time. Then bring those twisted ends back towards the bottom of the U and press them down well to form the pretzel shape (refer to images/video).Alternatively, you can roll out the entire dough to the rope length and cut it into 1cm 'strips' - this will save you time rolling as you just need to then roll back and forth a couple of times to smooth the edges.

Step 9

Keep any prepared pretzels under a slightly damp kitchen towel to stop the dough from drying out.

Step 10

Meanwhile, as you shape the pretzels, get the baking soda bath prepares. Heat the water and sugar in a large pot - bringing it to a boil, then add the baking soda.When you add the baking soda to the boiling water, it will react and bubble up madly - I use a high-side pan, so this isn't an issue. However, you could also bring the baking soda and water to a boil together to avoid this. I've tried both methods, and they seem to work fine either way.

Step 11

Poach each pretzel for 10 seconds on each side - carefully lowering them/lifting them from the water with a spatula, slotted spoon, or similar tool.Be careful not to let them poach for longer than 20 seconds, though, or it can impact the flavor negatively.

Step 12

After removing them from the poaching liquid, shake away excess liquid, and transfer the pretzels to a non-stick or parchment-lined baking tray (or silicone baking mat).For a shinier coating, feel free to brush with a little egg white or milk (dairy-free is fine too) and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Step 13

Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes at 425ºF/220°C fan assisted (475ºF/240°C without fan). Keep an eye on them, so they don't over-brown.When they come out of the oven, feel free to brush them with a little melted butter for a closer "Auntie Anne's" flavor.