Recipe Overview

Bloom the yeast by adding it into 240 ml of lukewarm water along with 1 tbs of caster sugar. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes until about 1 cm of yeast foam appears on top of the water.

Measure out the flour, brown sugar, and salt then add it to your mixing bowl. Attach your dough hook and start combining the ingredients at low speed. Once combined, give a good stir to the yeast mixture and add it into the flour mixture along with the 2 tbs of melted butter. If the dough is slightly too wet add in 1 tbs of additional flour at a time.

You're aiming to have a soft dough that is smooth and elastic and slightly sticky in texture. This should take about 5 minutes using your electric dough mixer. Once the dough has formed shape it into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Make sure to pick a large bowl as the dough will double in size. Brush the top of the dough with oil also this will prevent the crust formation while proofing. Cover the bowl with cling film and let it rise for an hour at a warm place.

Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch the dough to release the air.

Preheat the oven to 230 Celsius degrees. Take 2 baking sheets and line them with baking paper. In a large saucepan heat up 2 liters of water, once it came to a boil add in 90 g of baking soda.

Meanwhile, divide the dough into 6 equal parts. My dough weighed at 680 g so each ball was 113 g measured by using a kitchen scale. Work with one dough at a time. Lightly flour a clean workplace. Roll the dough back and forth, applying even pressure all the way using both hands. The dough should be slightly sticky so its easy to work with. Aim to create a rope shape that's about 60 cm long.

Lift the 2 ends and bring them to the middle creating a U shape. Take the 2 ends and cross them, left over the right. Then give it another twist and bring it down to the middle and press them into the dough. Position those two ends at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock position to achieve the standard pretzel look. Repeat this process with the remaining 5 dough balls.

By using a mesh skimmer or a large spatula place the first pretzel into the baking soda water facing down. Boil each side for 30 seconds then remove it from the water and place them onto the baking paper-lined baking sheets. Repeat it with all of them.

Whisk the egg yolk with the milk and brush the pretzels throughout. Add the salt and sesame seeds on top. Place them in the oven for approximately 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the tray around halfway for a more even colour formation and baking.