Homemade Bavarian-style baking-soda pretzels

Put the flour in a bowl and make a well. Warm the milk gently without making it hot. Mix 125 ml milk with the crumbled yeast and sugar, then pour into the well. Place the diced butter and fine salt around the flour edge. Cover and rest for 15 min.

Add the remaining 125 ml milk and knead to a smooth dough. Divide into 10 equal pieces and rest, covered, in a warm place for 30 min. Roll each piece into a long rope, thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends. Form a U, cross the ends, then fold them over and press onto the thick section to seal.

Preheat a conventional oven to 200 °C and line a sheet with baking paper. Bring 1000 ml water to the boil in a large, deep saucepan. Remove from the heat and carefully add the baking soda gradually as it foams, then return to a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, dip each pretzel for about 30 s, drain and place on the sheet.

Lightly score the thick belly of each pretzel and add the optional coarse salt. Bake for 5 min at 200 °C, then reduce to 180 °C and bake for about 10 min more until golden. Cool on a rack for about 10 min.