Soft pretzels are always a favorite. We've discovered that their distinctive texture and flavor also complements many varieties of sandwich fillings. In particular, we like these buns with a generous scoop of maple-mustard chicken salad.
Mix and knead the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
Allow the dough to rise in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
Divide the dough into 10 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Alternatively, for instructions on how to shape long sub-style sandwich buns, see the tip below.
Place the balls on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Prepare the water bath: Bring the water, salt, and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
Drop 5 dough balls at a time into the water bath.
Cook for 30 seconds, flip over, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Using a slotted spoon, return the buns to the baking sheet.
Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut 1/2"-deep crosses into the center of each bun. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Bake the buns for 20 to 24 minutes, or until they're a deep-dark brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.
These pretzels can also be shaped into long stuffed sandwich-style buns, perfect for grilled sausage with peppers and onions or brats and sauerkraut. After the first rise, simply divide the dough into eight pieces, shaping them each into a ball. Flatten the balls into 6" disks and roll them into logs, pinching the seam and ends to seal. On a clean, dry work surface (no oil, no flour), use two hands to drag each log toward you; the friction of the work surface should seal the seam and smooth out the surface of the bun. Let the buns rest for 15 minutes, then boil and bake them according to the recipe instructions, slashing them diagonally or lengthwise.
