Pretzels

Ingredients

• 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 1 slightly beaten egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• Sesame seed, poppy seed, or coarse salt

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl stir together 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, oil, and the 1 teaspoon salt till warm (120° to 130°). Add to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double (about 1 1/4 hours).
3. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough into a 12x10-inch rectangle. Cut into twenty 12x1/2-inch strips. Gently pull each strip into a rope about 16 inches long.
4. Shape each pretzel by crossing one end over the other to form a circle, overlapping about 4 inches from each end. Take one end of dough in each hand and twist once at the point where the dough overlaps. Carefully lift each end across to the edge of the circle opposite it. Tuck ends under edges to make a pretzel shape. Moisten ends; press to seal.
5. Place pretzels on greased baking sheets. Bake in a 475° oven for 4 minutes. Remove from oven. Lower oven temperature to 350°.
6. Dissolve the 2 tablespoons salt in the boiling water. Lower pretzels, three or four at a time, into boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Let stand a few seconds, then place about 1/2 inch apart on well-greased baking sheets.
7. Combine egg white and the 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzels with a little of the egg white and water mixture. Sprinkle pretzels lightly with sesame seed, poppy seed, or coarse salt. Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till golden brown. Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire racks.
8. Whole Wheat Pretzels: Prepare as above, except substitute 2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup toasted wheat germ with the stirred-in all-purpose flour. Makes 20 pretzels.