Pretzel Knots

**Disclaimer - I told you this would take a long time. But - for those of you who have to be at home due to naps, or are spending time on the computer planning weddings - there's no reason not to let the dough rise in the fridge at the same time.**

Dough

• 1/2 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees F)
• 1.25 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbs (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1.5 tsp salt
• Non-stick spray

Poaching Liquid

• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup amber beer
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
• Pretzel or Coarse Sea Salt

* You can halve the poaching liquid recipe if you'd like - I always end up with way too much. Or better yet - double the dough and get twice the pretzels - they're DELICIOUS!

Dough
Place 1/2 cup warm water in medium bowl.
Stir in yeast; let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Add buttermilk, both sugars, and vegetable oil; mix well.

Mix flour and salt in processor.
With motor running, add yeast mixture and process 2 minutes.
Spray large bowl with nonstick spray.
Scrape dough into bowl (dough will be very sticky).
Spray sheet of plastic wrap with nonstick spray; cover bowl with plastic, sprayed side down.
Refrigerate dough until slightly puffed and light, about 1 hour.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, then spray parchment with nonstick spray.
Transfer dough to lightly floured surface.
Spray hands with nonstick spray. (I never do this)
Divide dough into 8 equal portions.
Working with 1 portion at a time, roll into 8 to 9 inch long rope.
Tie in knot, leaving 1/2 inch of 1 end sticking up through center.
Tuck the other end under.
Transfer pretzels to prepared baking sheets, knob side up.
Cover pretzels with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick spray.
Refrigerate until puffed and light, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Poaching liquid

Meanwhile, place 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 450 degrees F.
Bring 8 cups water, beer, baking soda, and brown sugar to simmer in large wide pot (liquid should reach depth of AT LEAST 1.5 inches)

Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
Cut parchment paper between pretzels so each rests on its own square.
Using paper to lift pretzels from baking sheet and working with 2 pretzels at a time, carefully invert each pretzel into liquid in pot, allowing to slide off paper.
Poach ten seconds.
Using skimmer or slotted spoon, turn pretzels over; poach 10 seconds longer.
**If your pot is like mine - the pretzels are immersed in the water - I just poach for 20 seconds and call it good.**
Lift from poaching liquid, allowing pretzel to drain well.
Transfer to prepared sheets.
Brush with vegetable oil and sprinkle with pretzel salt.

Bake pretzels 8 minutes.
Rotate baking sheets; bake until pretzels are deep brown, about 7 minutes longer.
Transfer pretzels to rack; let cool.

I know this seems like a lot of work - but these pretzels really are DELICIOUS!!!! And I think they're better the first day. :)

Enjoy!