Soft Pretzels

Makes 12 pretzels

1 cup warm water (105-110°F) 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 3 ¼ cups bread flour 2 teaspoons kosher salt baking soda wash (⅓ cup warm water and 1 teaspoon baking soda whisked together to dissolve baking soda) egg wash (1 large egg and 1 tablespoon water whisked together) coarse salt, for sprinkling

Nutritional information per pretzel:

Calories 118 (0% from fat) • carb. 25g • pro. 4g

• fat 0g • sat. fat 0g • chol. 0mg • sod. 261mg

• calc. 1mg • fiber 1g

1. Put the water in a small mixing bowl or large measuring cup and add the sugar and yeast; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is foamy. 2. Put the flour and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough or metal chopping blade and process for 10 seconds.  With the machine running, slowly add the proofed yeast mixture through the feed tube and process until a dough ball forms. Continue processing 45 seconds to knead the dough. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, put it in a clean mixing bowl and cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 60 minutes. 3. Gently punch dough down and then roll into a 16-inch rope. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Take one piece (keep other pieces covered loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent drying out) and roll into a very thin rope, about 6 inches long, and shape into a pretzel by taking the two ends and crossing them over one another, making sure that the ends hang over the bottom; press firmly to seal.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, being sure to keep all shaped pretzels under plastic or a damp towel. 4. Line the baking pan with a piece of parchment paper. Put 6 of the shaped pretzels on the lined pan. Lightly brush the pretzels with the baking soda wash. Put the pan in the oven with the rack in the middle rack position. Set to Steam at 210°F for 5 minutes. 5. At the end of the steaming cycle, remove from oven and lightly brush the pretzels with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the salt.  Return to oven then set to Convection Bake at 425°F for 12 to 14 minutes to bake. Pretzels should be shiny and lightly browned at the end of the baking cycle. 6. Remove pretzels from the pan and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining 6 pretzels. 7. Pretzels are best served the same day, preferably hot out of the oven. They can last for 2 days if stored in an airtight container.