8OzExtra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded from a block
Kosher Salt
Instructions
Pretzels
Combine the warm water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the active yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and melted butter. With the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed, kneading until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, ~4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean it and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for ~ 50 to 55 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
Bring the 10 cups of water and baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan.
In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. It’s easiest to do this with a scale, about 4.5 oz per ball. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U to make a pretzel shape. Place onto the prepared pans.
Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pans, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture. Sprinkle with the pretzel salt (or Kosher or coarse- just not table salt) . Bake until dark golden brown in color, ~ 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Sweet Mustard Sauce
Whisk all four ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. I made half of this recipe since I had 2 sauces.
Cheese Sauce
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Whisking constantly, cook for 30 seconds.
Slowly whisk in the milk until completely smooth. Stirring constantly, bring the white sauce to a simmer over med-low heat until thickened, ~ 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese until completely melted. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Serve warm.
Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on medium, 30 seconds at a time. You may need to thin the sauce with a bit more milk.