MAYNARD'S SOFT PRETZELS

Maynard Pittendreigh

These taste just like the soft pretzels you buy in the mall or at the ball park. Unfortunately, they won't look like store bought pretzels unless you practice this recipe for a while.

• One 1/4 ounce package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• Kosher salt (larger than regular, smaller than rock)

1. Disolve the yeast in the warm water.

2. Add 2 cups of flour and beat until smooth.

3. Add corn syrup, butter, salt, and mix well for about 2 minutes.

4. Add the remaining flour and knead by hand until flour is well worked into the dough.

5. Place the flour in a covered bowl and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide in 10 equal parts.

7. By hand, roll each piece of dough until it is about 2 feet long, and 1/2 inch wide.

8. Holding the dough by both ends, give the strip of dough a twist into the traditional shape of a pretzel. Lay the twists onto a well greased cookie sheet. Let the twists rise again for 30 to 45 minutes.

9. When the dough has nearly doubled again, combine the cold water and baking soda in large saucepan and bring to a boil. This "caustic bath" helps the pretzel to brown.

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

11. Drop each pretzel, one at a time, into the boiling solution. Soak each for about 1 minute, carefully turning after 30 seconds. Return to the cookie sheet.

12. Bake the pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

13. Eat while they are hot, or cool and freeze them. If you want them salted, use the Kosher salt as soon as they are removed from the oven.

14. Frozen pretzels can be reheated in a microwave at 30 seconds on high.