Quick and easy soft pretzels

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup warm water
7g packet active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda 

DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise under a tea towel for about 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a bicarb water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda.  After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about a foot and 1/2 long, 1/2 inch or less thick) - I managed to make 12. Stir the bicarb water bath and dip the rope of dough into the soda solution. Shape into a pretzel and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again for another 10 mins. Bake in 200C oven for about 9 minutes or until golden.

As soon as the pretzels come out of the oven I recommend brushing them with melted butter. I then sprinkled on a mixture of castor sugar and cinnamon - yum!

Pretzel shaping technique: