Oma’s Soft Bavarian Pretzels with Baked Baking Soda

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Line a baking sheet with foil and spread all 108 g food-grade baking soda over it in a thin even layer. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the sheet and let the actual baked soda cool completely. Make the dough in the next steps while the soda bakes.

   Bake baking soda for the bath · 60 minUses 108 g food-grade raw baking soda

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix all 120 ml lukewarm yeast water and 4 g granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir in all 10 g active dry yeast and leave for about 10 minutes, until bubbly.

   Activate dry yeast until bubbly · 10 minUses 120 ml lukewarm water for yeast · 4 g granulated sugar · 10 g active dry yeast

3. 3

   Step 3: Stir all 180 ml lukewarm milk into the actual activated yeast mixture. Add all 28 g soft butter, the first 3 cups from the divided flour supply and all 6 g dough salt. Knead with the dough hook for 5–10 minutes, gradually adding only as much of the remaining ½ cup flour as needed, until the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky.

   Uses whole bubbly yeast mixture from step 2 · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 28 g soft butter · first 3 cups flour from the 3½-cup supply · only as much of the remaining ½ cup flour as needed · 6 g salt for dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Cover the bowl of actual kneaded dough with plastic wrap or a bag. Leave in a warm draft-free place for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size.

   First dough rise until doubled · 45 minUses whole smooth kneaded dough from step 3

5. 5

   Step 5: After the baked soda has finished and been removed, heat the oven to 218°C (425°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the risen dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into an 18 inch (about 46 cm) rope, with a thicker center and thinner ends. Form a U, cross and twist the ends twice about 3 inches (about 8 cm) from their tips, then fold them down and press onto the lower curve at the 4-o’clock and 8-o’clock positions. Set the shaped pretzels on the lined sheets with space between them. Cover with a towel and let rise for 15 minutes.

   Covered shaped-pretzel rise · 15 minUses whole dough doubled in step 4

6. 6

   Step 6: Remove the towel from the actual shaped pretzels. Let them stand uncovered for another 15 minutes so a slight skin forms on their surfaces.

   Uncovered shaped-pretzel rise and surface drying · 15 minUses all twelve shaped pretzels after the covered rise in step 5

7. 7

   Step 7: In a large heatproof glass bowl, gradually whisk the actual cooled baked soda from step 1 into all 720 ml separate hot bath water until completely dissolved. Use gloves and a slotted spoon for handling the bath and dipping the pretzels.

   Uses all the cooled baked soda prepared in step 1 · 720 ml hot water for the bath

8. 8

   Step 8: One at a time, dip each of the actual risen pretzels in the prepared baked-soda bath for about 3 seconds. Lift out with the slotted spoon, let excess solution drip back into the bowl and return the pretzel to its parchment-lined sheet. Keep space between the twelve pretzels. Discard the remaining bath after dipping; it is not part of the dough.

   Uses all twelve actual risen surfaced pretzels from step 6 · baked-soda bath prepared in step 7, for dipping; let excess drip off

9. 9

   Step 9: With a sharp knife or razor blade, slit the thick center of each actual dipped pretzel. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the surfaces as desired.

   Uses all twelve dipped and drained pretzels from step 8 · coarse sea salt for topping, as desired

10. 10

    Step 10: Bake the scored and salted pretzels at 218°C (425°F) for about 15 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool enough to handle; enjoy warm.

    Bake shaped dipped pretzels · 15 minUses all twelve scored and salted pretzels from step 9