Mustard Pretzels

I've been doing a lot of yoga lately.  Twisting dough into pretzels is a change from twisting myself into one.

Mustard Pretzels

Makes 12

slightly adapted from here

For the Pretzels:

1 teaspon caster sugar

3 teaspoons dried yeast

60g unsalted butter, melted

657g bakers flour

3 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds, toasted and crushed

For he Boil:

110g baking soda

1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash

For the Seed Mix:

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons onion flakes

1 teaspoon garlic granules

1 tablespoon nigella seeds

Make the Pretzels:

Combine the sugar, yeast and 375ml of lukewarm water in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Set aside for 10 minutes until foamy.

Add the butter, flour, salt and mustard seeds.  Using the dough hook, mix on low speed for about 7 minutes.  Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest on a warm spot for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 160C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.  Set aside.

Make the Boil:

In a large, wide pan, bring 2.5 litres of water to a boil and add the baking soda.

Make the Seed Mix:

Put all the seeds into a small bowl and mix:

Shape and Cook the Pretzels:

Divide the dough into twelve even portions and shape them into pretzels (see photo above).

Boil the pretzels in batches (about 3 at a time), for 30 seconds, then flip them over and boil for 30 seconds on the other side.  Use a slotted spoon to fish them out of the water and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with the seed mix.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.