Pretzel Heaven

It's summer and so like every good Minnesotan our family attends The Minnesota State Fair. Yes you can eat anything you want fried and on a stick but the only food I really want there are fresh German pretzels. To me it's a warm piece of heaven. Only one booth there makes them right and so I get one every year. This year it's different. A friend who knew of my pretzel love gave me a recipe that really captures all the pretzel goodness I crave. It even has a fantastic dipping sauce! I've made them several times this year so waiting for the Fair to come is not so hard to do anymore... 

Ingredients

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoons salt

1 cup milk

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup baking soda

10 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for greasing

2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

Sauce

¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ cup Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon cider vinegar

* Combine cover and refrigerate

Directions

1.   In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast into warm milk (110degrees). Let yeast soften for 2 minutes then stir in brown sugar and 1 cup flour with wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and stir into mix. Add remaining 1 ¼ cups flour and fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead dough until smooth and slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.

2.   Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.

3.   After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets. Sprinkle with coarse salt. 

4.  Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter.