Bavarian Brezeln with a Dark Alkaline Crust

What you need

• 110 g (1/2 cup) baking soda, for the bath
• 290 ml (1 1/4 cups) lukewarm water, about 40 °C (105 °F)
• 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar, or barley malt syrup
• 500 g (4 cups) bread flour, plus a little for the counter
• 10 g (1 3/4 tsp) fine salt
• 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 l (2 quarts) water, for the bath
• 2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt, or flaky salt

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Spread the baking soda on a foil-lined tray and bake for 1 hour while the dough is made and rises, then let it cool. Baking turns it into a stronger alkali that browns the crust more like traditional lye.

2. 2

   Stir the yeast and sugar into the water and leave for 5-10 min until foamy.

3. 3

   Put the flour and fine salt in a large bowl, pour in the yeast mixture and add the butter.

4. 4

   Mix, then knead on a lightly floured counter for 8-10 min, or 5-6 min with a stand mixer dough hook, until smooth, firm and springy.

5. 5

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until roughly doubled, about 1 hour.

6. 6

   Turn the dough out and divide it into 8 equal pieces of about 100 g. Roll each into a short log and let them relax under a towel for 10 min.

7. 7

   Roll each log into a rope about 60 cm (24 in) long, thick in the middle and tapering to thin ends.

8. 8

   Shape a U, cross the ends over each other twice, then fold the twist down and press the tips onto the thick belly about two thirds of the way down.

9. 9

   Set the brezeln on a parchment-lined tray and chill them, uncovered, for 20-30 min so a dry skin forms. Meanwhile heat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F).

10. 10

    Bring the bath water to a boil in a wide stainless-steel pot (not aluminium), then slowly stir in the cooled baked soda; it will fizz. Lower the heat to a steady simmer.

11. 11

    Wearing gloves, lower the brezeln into the bath one or two at a time for 30 seconds, then lift them out with a slotted spatula and let them drain.

12. 12

    Place them on a fresh parchment-lined tray, cut a slit about 1 cm deep across the thick belly of each and sprinkle with the coarse salt.

13. 13

    Bake until deep mahogany brown, 15-18 min.

14. 14

    Cool on a rack for at least 10 min before serving.

Imported from bakeitwithlove.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.