Big Soft Pretzels

Ingredients 
2/3 cup (150ml) very warm(but not hot) water 
1tsp (5ml) white sugar 
1/2 tsp (2ml) quick rise yeast 
1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil 
1/2tsp (2ml) fine sea salt (or table salt) 
1 3/4 cups (425ml) all purpose flour (spoon in, level) 
1/4 cup (50ml) milk 
1/4 tsp (1ml) Kosher salt 
1/4 cup (50ml) coarsely grated Cheddar cheese 
flour for dusting 
honey mustard for dipping if you wish 

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Put the water, sugar and yeast in a cup and jiggle it to blend. 
Let stand at least 10 minutes to get foamy. 

3. Pour the foamy yeast into a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil and fine salt (not the Kosher salt). Gradually add the flour, sitrring it in with a baking spatula or wooden spoon. When the dough is too stiff to stir, squeeze(knead) in the rest of the flour with your hands. Pull and squeeze the dough a few times, until it is smooth and stretchy. 

4. Dust your work table with flour. 
Put the dough on it. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel and let it sit for 10 mins. 

5. Pat down the dough to about 1 inch(2.5cm) thick. Use a dinner knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 7 equal pieces. 

6. Preheat oven to 425F(220C). 

7.Roll each piece of dough into a 1/2 inch (1cm) thich rope about 15 (38cm) inches long. The dough is springy, but keep rolling it. To make the pretzel shapes, overlap the ends of each rope, lay it on the lined sheet and shape into a wide circle, with the ends inside the circle. 

8. Use a pastry brush to brush the pretzels with milk, then sprinkle with Kosher salt and grated cheese. 
Bake 15-20 mins or until the pretzels are golden and the cheese is bubbling and crisp. Cool to lukewarm. Dip in honey mustard, if you wish. 

Makes 7 Big Soft Pretzels. 


By Sri