Chewy Soft Pretzels {SRC}

It's Secret Recipe Club time again!  For those of you not familiar with the club, everyone is assigned a blog from which they must make one recipe.  But you have to keep it a secret which blog you were assigned.  On Reveal Day we all post our recipe at the same time.  This month I was assigned the blog Double Dipped Life written by Krista.  Krista has a wide array of recipes.  I really wanted to try one of the enchilada dishes but they called for enchilada sauce....I've never seen enchilada sauce in a grocery store near me.  I settled on 2 recipes: Chewy Soft Pretzels and Garlic Naan.  I was all ready to make the Garlic Naan but as I read through the recipe I realized I didn't have enough time for the dough to rise since I had to pick my son up from school so I ended up making the Chewy Soft Pretzels and I was so happy that I did!  These turned out great! I just wished I had sprinkled on a little more coarse salt on them.  When they were baking it smelled just like one of those pretzel places in the mall.  We all loved them!  These taste best eaten the day they are made.  I should have rolled my dough out longer before shaping them since they look a little like buns.  After a little bit of research I found that the original recipe is from King Arthur Flour.  I've never spent a lot of time on their site but I've now tried a couple of recipes that originated from them so will have to give them a closer look.

Chewy Soft Pretzels
Slightly adapted from Double Dipped Life (originally from King Arthur Flour)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
7/8 to 1 cup warm water*

1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp baking soda

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
coarse salt for sprinkling

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and warm water.  Mix using the paddle attachment until combined.  Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 5 minutes.  The dough should be soft, smooth and loose.  Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly greased surface, transfer the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.  Allow to rest uncovered for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl or pie plate mix together the warm water and baking soda.  Make sure the baking soda has dissolved thoroughly or your pretzels won't have a nice consistent brown colour.

Using one piece of a dough at a time, roll into a long thin rope (18 to 22 inches long) and twist into a pretzel shape.  Dip pretzels into the water/baking soda (I dipped each side of the pretzel).  Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.  Let the pretzels rest for 10 minutes, uncovered.

Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown.  Once you remove them from the oven, brush with melted butter.  Use all of the butter.  Eat warm or reheat in the oven or microwave.

* use the smaller amount (7/8) in the summer, greater amount (1) in the summer.  In the fall and spring use an amount in between.  (I used 1 cup of warm water)