eat :: big soft pretzels and jalapeno cheese dip

when i was in college every weekend my sorority served big soft pretzels for lunch.  a lot of the girls got real tired of them but they hold a special place in my heart.  i decided to make them for super bowl sunday.  

i have this weird fear of bread and bread-items making.  i'm always afraid it won't turn out.  not these!  the pretzels were a lot easier than i expected.  and you can't go wrong with a homemade cheese dip!

 

Pretzels:

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 oz unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
2 tbsp butter, melted
sea salt

jalapeno cheese sauce:

1 jalapeño pepper, diced
olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
kosher salt

pretzels: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix water, sugar, yeast and salt on low speed for 10 seconds.  switch to the dough hook, add the flour and butter.  mix on low speed until well combined. increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 4-5 minutes. remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for 50-55 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.

turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. place a barely damp towel over the dough and the formed pretzels to prevent them from drying out while you form the other pretzels.

preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. set aside.

in a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil using a flat spatula, gently lower the pretzels into the boiling water and boil them for 30 seconds.  {i found i could do two pretzels at a time.}

remove the pretzels from the water using the spatula, drain as much water as you can, place on the baking sheets. brush the top of each pretzel with some melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  serve warm.

cheese sauce: in a small frying pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil.  add the diced jalapenos and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  

in a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter.  stir in jalapeños coating in butter.  whisk in the flour, coating the peppers, cook for 30 seconds until the flour has dissolved.

slowly whisk in the milk, whisking out all the lumps.   bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.  remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese until smooth.  season with salt to taste. leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on medium power at 30 second intervals.

lovely blue dotted plates courtesy of west elm.  thank you, west elm!