Giant pretzels, grilled sausages, and other traditional festival foods

**Introduction**:

Welcome to a delightful baking adventure featuring a giant homemade soft pretzel that's sure to impress! Whether you're a baking novice or a seasoned pro, this recipe from FunFoods will guide you to create the ultimate comfort food with a satisfying chew and a beautiful golden-brown exterior.

**Prep Time**: 1 hour 20 minutes (including dough rising)

**Cook Time**: 15-20 minutes

**Total Time**: About 1 hour 40 minutes

**Servings**: 4-6 people

**Ingredients**:

- 1 1/2 cups very warm water

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 package yeast (approx. 2 1/4 teaspoons)

- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more for greasing)

- 5-6 cups water (for baking soda bath)

- 1/3 cup baking soda (for baking soda bath)

- Coarse salt (for topping)

**Equipment**:

- Large mixing bowl

- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)

- Large nonstick baking mat or parchment paper

- Large pot or sheet cake pan (for baking soda bath)

- Slotted spatula or large spatula

- Pizza pan or large baking sheet

- Parchment paper

**Instructions**:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of very warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to dissolve.

2. Sprinkle the package of yeast over the water and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating that the yeast is active.

3. Add 4 1/2 cups of flour to the bowl and mix in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

4. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the ingredients until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. Alternatively, mix with a spoon until too hard to handle, then knead by hand.

5. Remove the dough and shape it into a ball. Grease the same bowl with a little bit of vegetable oil and roll the dough ball in it to coat lightly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, dry place for about an hour, until doubled in size.

6. Preheat your oven to the temperature needed for baking pretzels (usually between 425°F to 450°F). Line your pizza pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.

7. While the dough is rising, prepare the baking soda bath. In a large pot or cake pan, bring 5-6 cups of water to a boil. Slowly add 1/3 cup of baking soda to the boiling water. Be cautious, as it will bubble up.

8. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a greased surface, divide it into two halves, and roll each piece into a long rope. Shape each rope into a pretzel by making a U-shape, twisting the ends together twice, then folding them down to the bottom of the U.

9. Gently lower the pretzel into the boiling baking soda bath for about 30 seconds, being careful to maintain the shape.

10. Transfer the pretzel onto the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt to taste.

11. Bake pretzels in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown.

12. Let the giant pretzel cool slightly before serving.

**Cooking Tips**:

- For an extra shiny exterior, brush the pretzel with a beaten egg before sprinkling with salt.

- If the pretzel is browning too quickly but isn't cooked through, cover with foil and continue baking until done.

This fun and impressive recipe is brought to you by James at FunFoods. Check out their YouTube channel for more tasty treats: [FunFoods](https://www.youtube.com/@Funfoods).

 #homemade #baking #pretzel #fun

YouTube channel - FunFoods: https://www.youtube.com/@Funfoods

Giant pretzels, grilled sausages, and other traditional festival foods