Soft Pretzels -- 5 Smart Points

PRETZELS

Makes 12 pretzels – 5 Smart Points each

1 ½ cups warm water (110°)

2 T. oil

2 tsp. yeast

2 T. packed dark brown sugar

Mix and set aside for 3 minutes to let yeast bloom.

3 ¾ c. bread flour

4 tsp. salt

Add flour and salt to yeast mixture.  Using dough hook, knead at low speed for 5 minutes.

Remove from bowl onto floured surface and knead by hand for 1 minute.

Cover and let rise about 1 hour until doubled.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.  Then divide each quarter into 3 equal pieces.

Spray work surface with Pam.  Roll each of the 12 smaller pieces into 22” long ropes.  Shape into pretzels. 

Place onto cookie sheet sprinkled with flour and let rise 20 minutes.

Boil together 4 cups of water and ¼ cup baking soda. Drop pretzels into boiling water for 30 seconds, turning after 15 seconds. 

Drain on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Oil cookie sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Place pretzels onto cookie sheet and sprinkle tops with kosher salt.  Bake at 425° 15-20 minutes, rotating pan half-way through baking time.

This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen.  If you do not roll the dough into the 22" length ropes, you won't have the open spaces in a traditional pretzel.  The dough will rise as it bakes and look more like a knot.  Still tastes, good, just not a traditional pretzel shape.