Recipe: Garlic-Herb Soft Pretzels (by bread machine or by hand)

GARLIC-HERB SOFT PRETZELS



1 cup milk
1⁄2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 1⁄4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon dried basil
1⁄4 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1⁄4 cup baking soda
Kosher salt, poppy seeds, and/or sesame seeds (for sprinkling)

If making the dough in a bread machine: Combine the milk, 1/2 cup water, honey, flours, salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley, and yeast in the pan of your bread machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Set to the dough cycle and start the machine.

If making the dough by hand: Combine the milk, water, and honey in a medium-size saucepan and warm slightly over medium heat. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the yeast. Stir and allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes. Add the flours, salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and parsley. Stir to combine well. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes to create a smooth, elastic dough, adding more all-purpose flour as necessary.

Transfer to a greased bowl and turn the dough ball to coat. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.)

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. When the machine beeps or the dough has doubled in bulk, remove the dough from the pan or bowl and divide it into 12 equal parts. Roll each dough portion into an 18-inch-long rope. Shape the rope into a horseshoe. Twist the sides of the horseshoe, about halfway up, around each other twice. Flip the ends over onto the U of the horseshoe. Press to seal. Continue until all of the pretzels are shaped.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the baking soda to the pot of water, stir, and return to a boil. Drop the formed pretzels, one at a time, into the soda bath. Boil for about 30 seconds and then use a slotted spoon to transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt and/or seeds, if desired.

Once all the pretzels have been "bathed," bake them until golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
The baked and cooled pretzels can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in a zip-top plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw them on the counter before serving. Pretzels can be reheated in a 350 degrees F oven for 5 minutes, if desired.

Makes 12 pretzels
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Harvard Commons Press
Source: Good Cheap Eats By Jessica Fisher