German Soft Pretzels

German Soft pretzels

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/8 cup warm water 105 degrees F
• 1-1/3 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 5 cups flour
• Water, baking soda
• sea salt
• 5 oz crème fraiche
• 3 tablespoons German honey
• 2 tablespoons German mustard
• Salt and sugar to taste

Instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/8 cup warm water. Stir in 1 1/3 cups warm water, 1/3 cup brown sugar and flour. Beat until smooth. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Heat oven to 475 degrees F. In a saucepan, measure 2 teaspoons baking soda to each cup of water. Place enough to fill the saucepan. Boil soda and water.
2. Tear off some dough and roll a pencil shape with your hands. Pick up both ends, cross to form rabbit ears and then twist the ends and pull them back to the rest of the loop.
3. Place twisted pretzels in water/baking soda mixture for 15 seconds until the pretzel dough is golden or yellow in color. Then remove the pretzels from boiling water and place onto a salted cookie sheet.
4. Salt the top of pretzels with course ground sea salt. Place cookie sheet with pretzels into the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until pretzel is golden brown.
5. For the dip, stir Crème Fraiche, honey and mustard until creamy. Add sugar and salt to taste.