Pretzels

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Combine the flour, salt, yeast, water, honey, and butter in a stand mixer and mix on low speed for about 5 minutes with a dough hook attachment. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the dough into ten equal pieces and shape into pretzels by rolling into a long rope, about 1/2-inch in diameter, and folding the ends towards the center to make a pretzel shape.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda to the boiling water very slowly—it will bubble up, so be careful. Drop each pretzel into the boiling water for no more than 45 seconds to blanch. Remove with a slotted spoon and let dry on a paper towel. When you have blanched all the pretzels, place them on a cooking tray, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.