Pretzel Bread Just a Dizzy Dad Style

So, last week Mama Bear ordered strongly encouraged me to try and bake some Pretzel Bread, so, after some searching around, I found a lackluster recipe. 

So, I decided to come up with my own that is based off a bagel recipe I stole from somebody a few years ago and a pretzel recipe I had laying around.  

Here it is.

Pretzel Bread the Just a Dizzy Dad Way

Here's what you'll need:

1 large pan to boil water in

1 rubber spatula or wooden spoon or whatever to stir with

1 basting brush

1 mixing bowl

1 electric mixer

1 baking sheet

1 can of cooking spray 

1 slotted spatula or spoon

1 knife (sharp)

1 bowl to make egg wash in

1 cloth large enough to drape over the mixing bowl

1/2 cup of whole milk

1 cup of re-hydrated dry milk (also can just use 1 1/2 cups of whole milk but I like to over complicate things)

3 tablespoons of butter or margarine

3 table spoons of brown sugar

1 table spoon of active dry yeast (a little less is fine.)

3 teaspoons of salt

4.5 cups of flour

1 egg

Water

3/4 cup of baking soda

and about 2 hours 

OK.  Now here's what you gotta do:

1. First things first, combine the milk and butter and warm it up in a microwave or something until it's maybe 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit.  warm to the touch but not hot.

2. once the milk and butter is warm stir in the brown sugar, and yeast and let it set for a few minutes.  (like 2-3) Then stir in the salt and 2.5 cups of flour.

3. beat the mixture for about 3 minutes.  By the end it should look like pancake batter consistency.

4. Stir in extra 2 cups of flour into the batter one cup at a time until it is too cumbersome to stir anymore, and by then you lightly flour a work surface and knead the rest of the flour into the dough.  Should take only 10 minutes or so.

5. once dough is soft and smooth and a little stretchy spray some cooking spray into the mixing bowl toss the dough in and cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for an hour or so, and then punch it down.

6. after you punch the dough down bring a little more than a gallon (maybe 5 quarts, I don't know how much water my pressure cooker holds, which is what I used) of water to a boil and stir in the baking soda.

(pre-heat your oven to 400)

7. once water and baking soda is boiling reduce the heat to medium and cut the dough into equal portions.  Could be in half, quartered what ever you want, and then roll the dough segments into nice smooth balls.

8. Drop the dough balls into the boiling water for 2 minutes, flipping them over at one minute then remove them and place them on a greased baking sheet using your slotted spoon.

9. while the dough balls are cooling slightly mix 1 egg and a little bit of water (um...maybe a teaspoon or two) in a small bowl then brush the egg solution onto the dough. 

10.  Score the dough balls and then toss them in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees for another twelve minutes.  

11. take them out, let them cool on a rack or something and your done!