Big, Soft Pretzels

I made pretzels. Those big, soft ones you get in the mall that are slathered in butter and sea salt. And? They. Were. Delicious. 


This recipe does make a lot -- 12 full size pretzels -- which are really best once you first make them, so unless you're making them for a crowd, you might want to halve the recipe. But this is really a keeper and a nice treat for at-home enjoyment.




Ingredients

• 4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 5 cups flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 4 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt for topping
• 1/4 cup melted butter for brushing

Directions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy -- about 10 minutes
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. Knead the dough until smooth -- about 7 - 8 minutes. 
3. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl and coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.
4. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. 
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large pot, dissolve baking soda in hot water and dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution for about 45 seconds and place onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until browned.
7. Brush melted butter on top and enjoy!

Recipe originally from www.allrecipes.com

Download the printable recipe for Big, Soft Pretzels

Basic Pizza Dough

In the grocery store, every week a frozen pizza was one of our basic staples. T and I however, could never agree on one that we liked and truthfully, neither of us liked any of them except for their convenience.

Enter the easiest pizza dough. The hardest thing about it, is that it's best two or three days after you make it.

Ingredients (makes two pizza crusts)

• 1 teaspoon dry yeast
• 4 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups luke warm water

Directions

In a separate bowl (not your stand mixer), pour the yeast over top of the water.

Combine flour and salt in mixer and combine. 

Next drizzle oil into mixing bowl.

Add the water and yeast mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

The dough should be very sticky.

Form the dough mixture into a ball and then put in a well greased bowl. Cover with saran wrap and leave for a day or two. I find it's best when I leave it for three.

When you're ready to use, take it out of the fridge (half if you only want one pizza) and let it come up to room temperature. 

Lightly grease a baking sheet and stretch out the pizza dough. You can let gravity work for you and if you hold it, it will start to pull away from you. 

This should cover about one cookie sheet. Cover with your favourite toppings and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes -- until the crust is starting to brown and the cheese is deliciously bubbly.

Serve immediately!

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman