#3735 - Baked Pretzel Bites

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 2/3 cups warm water
2 TBSP white sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
3 3/4 cups bread flour
3 TBSP melted butter (cooled to room temperature)
2 tsp. salt
2 quarts water
1/3 cup baking soda
1 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
coarse or flaked sea salt

Remove the bowl from a stand mixer and place it on your counter. Add the 1 2/3 cups warm water, the white sugar and the yeast. Let it stand for 15 minutes or until it starts to foam. Place the bowl on your stand mixer, using the dough hook attachment. Add the melted butter, 2 tsp. salt and all of the flour--beat with the dough hook for 5 minutes or until dough ball forms. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add 1 TBSP more flour at a time until you get a nice smooth dough ball. Remove bowl from mixer, cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour. When dough is almost done rising in a pot add the 2 quarts of water, baking soda and brown sugar--bring to a boil over medium heat. Flour your counter and place the pretzel dough on the flour, flipping it so both sides get some flour. Work it carefully, then cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each dough piece into a foot long log. Cut the dough log into 2" pretzel bites, then drop the pretzel bites into the boiling water mixture for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to drain each pretzel bite and place them on to greased cookie sheets. Continue with more dough until the cookie sheet is full (you can put them close together because they don't get much bigger). Sprinkle the pretzel bites with flaked sea salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes, then use tongs to flip each of them and bake 4-5 minutes longer or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough. If you bake them to light brown, they will be softer. If you bake them to dark/golden brown they will be crispier.