Homemade Auntie Anne's Pretzels

I don't think these taste exactly like Auntie Anne's, but they're seriously good.

Homemade Auntie Annes Pretzels
Adapted From Korean American Mommy (http://www.koreanamericanmommy.com/2010/12/homemade-pretzels.html)
Makes: 10-12 large pretzels
Prep Time: 1 hour, plus 1 hour and 20 minutes for rising
Cook Time: 10 minutes
http://www.sprinklesofparsley.com/2011/01/homemade-auntie-annes-pretzels.html

Ingredients
Dough
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour

Baking Soda Bath
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda

Toppings
4 tablespoons butter, melted
rock salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons water

Directions
To prepare your dough, combine 1 1/2 cups of warm water and yeast into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a spoon, gently stir until your yeast dissolves. Then add your brown sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Add your all purpose flour and bread flour and using the paddle attachment, mix on low for about 10 seconds until combined. Switch your attachment to the dough hook and mix on high for 5 minutes to knead your dough. If you don't have an electric mixer, you can knead by hand. Lightly grease a large pot by brushing the bottom and sides of the pan with olive oil. Place your ball of dough in the center of your pot, cover it, and let it sit for 1 hour in a warm space to rise. I keep my oven at 350 degrees and place the pot on top of the stove.

Immediately after making your dough, prepare your baking soda bath in a large mixing bowl by combining 2 cups of warm water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir until dissolved and continue to stir regularly while the dough is rising.

Once your dough is finished rising and has doubled in size. Put your ball of dough on a pastry mat and remove a section about 3/4 cup in size. You can break off as large or as small of a piece as you like depending on the pretzel size you want to make. Roll your section of dough into a long 1/2 inch thick string of dough. The length will vary depending on how big you want your pretzel, but the thickness should be no bigger than 1/2 inch in diameter. When rolling the dough, I found it helpful not flouring my work surface and lightly wetting my hands with water (not soaking wet). To get the right shape, roll the dough up and down with your hands, all the while pushing from the center out to get a long and narrow string of dough. That's what worked for me, but you'll find a good rhythm of your own too I'm sure!

Once you have your long string of dough, bring one end to the center, letting it hang slightly over the edge. Then bring your other end over and weave it underneath the first loop to get a pretty knot. Then dip your pretzel into the baking soda bath water, making sure to hold its shape in place. Place it on a well greased cookie sheet, making sure to put them about 1 1/2 inches in between each other. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and let your pretzels sit for 15-20 minutes before baking to allow for a second rise. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare your dipping ingredients. Melt about 4 tablespoons of butter. Then mix your sugar and cinnamon together if you're making cinnamon sugar pretzels. To make an icing glaze to dip your cinnamon sugar pretzels in, combine your powdered sugar and water together in a bowl. Mix until combined and set aside for dipping. When your pretzels are cool enough to handle, generously brush them all over with your melted butter. Then dip in your cinnamon sugar mixture until coated or sprinkle with sea salt. Serve your traditional pretzels with a side of mustard for dipping or serve your cinnamon sugar pretzels with icing.