Soft Salty Pretzels

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus melted butter for greasing
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast (2 and 1/4 tsp)
• 6 cups premium flour
• 2 tsp coarse salt + extra for sprinkling
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Mustard, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups of warm water (115°F-115°F), butter, and brown sugar. Sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. If the yeast doesn't foam, discard it and try again with fresh yeast.
2. Add 3 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook attachment, then increase the speed to medium when the flour begins to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Beat in the remaining 3 cups flour on low speed, then increase speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers around the hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Grease a large bowl with melted butter, add the dough, and turn it over to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Punch down the dough, then divide it in half. Cut each half with a knife into 6 equal pieces and cover with plastic wrap. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
6. Attach a 60 cm (24 in) piece of string to the countertop to use as a guide. Roll the dough out on the countertop with your hands, starting from the middle and working toward the ends, until you have a 60 cm (24 in) rope. As you roll, occasionally lift the dough by the ends and slap the middle of the rope against the countertop to help it stretch faster.
7. Lift the ends of the rope to form a U, then twist the ends twice.
8. Fold the ends down and attach them to the bottom of the arc to form a pretzel.
9. Transfer the pretzel to one of the prepared baking sheets; repeat with the remaining dough, placing 4 pretzels on each baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes.
10. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pour 10 cups of water into a wide saucepan, add the baking soda, and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the baking soda dissolves. Using scissors, cut the parchment around each pretzel, leaving a 2-cm (1/8-inch) gap from the dough. Slide the dough (on the parchment) off the baking sheets, then spray the baking sheets with cooking spray. Carefully lower each pretzel, parchment-covered, into the water and remove the parchment with tongs. Simmer until the pretzels are puffed, about 45 seconds per side. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt.
11. Bake the pretzels until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, 12-15 minutes. Brush with melted butter and serve with mustard.