Pretzels

So, despite my best intentions this week, life happened and I wasn't able to get the "bread-recipe-a-day" up like I'd envisioned. So hopefully (if all works out :) ) I'll be able to make up for it today and tomorrow.

This is the pretzel recipe that the Parmesan Breadsticks are derived from. They are great fresh from the oven, but also taste great after they've been frozen and then thawed a few days later :) So I usually make a huge batch of them, then freeze what we don't eat that day.

Butter Pretzels
Dough proportions courtesy of The all-new Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook

1 1/2 cups warm water (divided)
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
4 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick margarine or butter, melted
Coarse Kosher or Sea Salt (or other yummy pretzel toppings)

Mix 1/2 cup warm water with the brown sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. In the meantime, mix the rest of the water, salt, and 2 cups of flour in a mixer with a dough hook. After the yeast is nice and bubbly, add it to the dough mixture along with another cup of flour. Mix on high for 7-8 minutes. With the last cup of flour, add in a little bit at a time until the dough is not sticky and doesn't stick to the sides. You may or may not use all of that last cup. Beat on high again for 2-3 more minutes.

Dust your work surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle until it is about 12-18 inches from top to bottom and and about 1/3" - 1/2" thick.Take a pizza cutter and slice long strips from top to bottom so each slice is about 1-1 1/2" wide and about 12-18 inches long. *Note: You can roll these into long ropes by hand if you want, but I have to admit, that takes too long and is too tedious for my taste :)

Fold each strip into a pretzel shape by forming each strip into a U-shape. Cross the ends and twist. Bring the ends to the curved end of the U-shape to form the pretzel.Set the pretzel on an ungreased pan. When your pan is full, brush each pretzel generously with the melted butter. Bake at 475 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. After removing the pan from the oven, and while they are still hot, brush each breadstick with the butter again, and sprinkle immediately with Kosher Salt (or cinnamon sugar, or cheese or whatever you like!). Enjoy!