Soft Pretzels

Soft Pretzels
(Adapted from Alton Brown's Recipe)
Yield: 8 pretzels

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Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 & 1/4 tsp yeast
4.5 cups flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water
Coarse salt

Directions

1. Combine the warm water, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour and butter and incorporate. Roll out onto a clean surface and knead for 6 minutes.

3. Let the dough rise in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap for about an hour.

4. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper.

5. Bring the 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.

6. Turn the dough out on a well oiled work surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a long rope. Form 8 pretzels and place onto a piece of parchment paper.

7. Place the pretzels in the boiling water, one by one, for 30 seconds. Remove them, sit them on a paper towel to absorb any excess water and placed on baking sheets. Brush with the egg yolk bath and sprinkle with coarse salt.

8. Bake 14 minutes, turning pans halfway through, until dark golden brown. I turned off my oven at 12 minutes to ensure bottoms of pretzels wouldn't burn. Transfer to a cooling rack.