Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 pk (2-1/4 teaspoons) active
Dry yeast
2 tb Plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 c Warm water
2/3 c Buttermilk or rehydrated
Buttermilk powder
2 tb (1/4 stick) butter or
Margarine
1/2 c Cold water
4 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Salt
2 qt Water for boiling the
Pretzels
1/4 c Baking soda
Cornmeal for sprinkling on
The baking sheet
1 Egg, lightly beaten
Coarse salt for the tops

"This is truly a gourmet pretzel -- a step beyond traditional recipes
from the Old Country. Excellent with beer or cider, but absolutely
irresistible spread with cold sour cream. 350~F. 15 to 25 minutes

In a small bowl, combine the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and
the warm water. Set aside in a warm place until the yeast starts to
foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, add the butter to the buttermilk and bring to a
boil. Stir to melt the butter completely if necessary. Transfer the
mixture to a bowl, add the cold water, stir, and allow the mixture to
cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl or in the food processor, combine the flour and salt.
Stir in the yeast mixture and the cooled buttermilk mixture and mix
well.

Knead well by hand on a lightly floured surface or by pulsing about
15 to 20 times in the food processor, until the dough is smooth and
springy to the touch. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and
turn over to coat all sides. Cover with a damp towel and set the
dough in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 to 2
hours.

Punch the dough down and knead a few strokes. Wrap the dough in
plastic wrap or wax paper and place it in the refrigerator until well
chilled, approximately 1 hour.

With a knife, cut the dough into 25 equal pieces. Using your hands,
roll each piece into a cylinder 10 to 12 inches long. (If you prefer
larger, soft pretzels, cut the dough into only 15 pieces and roll
into cylinders that are 14 to 16 inches long.) You will have a more
even-looking cylinder if you place the dough on a firm surface and
roll your hands across the top, moving from the center outward. Shape
each cylinder into a pretzel by forming a loop in the center,
twisting the ends and attaching them to the bottom of the loop.

Bring the 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and the
remaining 2 Tablespoons sugar to the water. Drop the pretzels into the
water one at a time and, with a slotted spoon, remove each one as it
pops back up to the surface in about 2 to 3 seconds. Place the
pretzels on a towel right side up to drain for a few minutes. Then
place them on a baking sheet which has been lightly sprinkled with
cornmeal. Preheat the oven to 350~F.

Brush the tops with the egg and sprinkle lightly and evenly with
coarse salt. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size, until well
browned. Cool on a rack. Yield: 15 large or 25 small pretzels.

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