soft homemade pretzels

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees f (43 degrees c))
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon shortening, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water
• coarse salt, or to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 40 mins


• stir yeast into 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; beat in flour, sugar, shortening, and salt to make a dough. turn dough a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
• place dough into a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. punch down dough and divide into 12 equal-size pieces. roll each piece into a rope 18 to 20 inches long.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease a baking sheet.
• shape each rope of dough into a pretzel on the prepared baking sheet; let pretzels rest for 5 minutes. beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and brush yolk mixture over each pretzel; sprinkle each with coarse salt.
• bake in the preheated oven until pretzels are golden brown, about 15 minutes.