Soft Pretzels, Gluten Free

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the dough

   Stir the warm water and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until dissolved, then sprinkle the instant yeast over the top. Whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl so the gum disperses evenly instead of clumping. Add the dry mix to the bowl along with the egg and melted butter.

2. 2

   Mix, then rest to hydrate

   Mix with the paddle attachment on medium for 3 minutes — gluten-free dough has no gluten to develop, so you're just working it smooth, and a dough hook won't do much here. It will look like thick, sticky cookie dough rather than bread dough; that's correct. Cover the bowl and let it rest 25 minutes so the starches drink up the liquid. It will firm noticeably and stop feeling gritty.

3. 3

   Rise

   Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise at room temperature for 45 minutes. It won't double the way wheat dough does — expect it to puff by about half and look slightly domed. Don't wait for more.

4. 4

   Heat the oven and the bath

   Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat it to 425°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment and brush the parchment generously with oil. Bring the 10 cups of water to a boil in a wide 6-quart pot, then add the baking soda a spoonful at a time, standing back as it foams.

5. 5

   Divide and roll

   Divide the dough into 8 pieces, about 135g each. Lightly oil your hands and the counter rather than flouring them — extra flour dries this dough out fast. Roll each piece into a rope about 18 inches long and a little thicker than you would for wheat dough; gluten-free ropes are fragile and thin ones tear in the bath. If a rope splits, press it back together with oiled fingers.

6. 6

   Shape

   Lay a rope in a wide U with the ends away from you, cross the ends, twist once more, then fold the twist down onto the bottom curve and press the tips in firmly. Move each pretzel onto the oiled parchment with a bench scraper or wide spatula so it doesn't stretch and break. Chill the shaped pretzels for 10 minutes before boiling — cold dough holds its shape far better in the water.

7. 7

   Boil

   Slide pretzels into the simmering soda bath one at a time, face up, for 20 to 25 seconds — shorter than wheat pretzels, because this dough softens quickly. Lift each one out on a flat slotted skimmer, supporting the whole pretzel, and set it back on the pan.

8. 8

   Wash and salt

   Whisk the egg yolk with the tablespoon of water and brush it over each pretzel, then scatter coarse salt on while the wash is still wet.

9. 9

   Bake

   Bake one pan at a time for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway, until deeply browned and firm on the bottom. The longer, slightly cooler bake is what drives moisture out of the starchy interior — pull them early and the center will be gummy. Tap the underside: it should sound hollow and feel set, not soft. Brush with melted butter right out of the oven and cool 10 minutes before eating.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Weigh the flour if you can. A heavy cup or two of flour turns this from a firm, rollable dough into a dry one that cracks when you shape it.

• 2.

  Fresh baking soda matters. An old box that's been deodorizing the fridge will carry those smells straight into the crust.

• 3.

  For a darker, maltier pretzel, bake the baking soda first: spread it on a foil-lined pan and heat at 250°F for an hour. That converts it to a stronger alkali and gets you closer to a traditional lye finish.

• 4.

  Short on time at the shaping stage? Cut the ropes into 1 1/2-inch pieces for pretzel bites. Boil them 20 seconds and bake 9 to 11 minutes.

• 5.

  The dough can rise slowly in the fridge overnight instead. Let it sit out for 30 minutes before you roll, or the ropes will snap back.

• 6.

  Swap the salt for cinnamon sugar after baking — brush generously with butter first, skip the egg wash salt, and toss while hot.