Bake Some Pretzel Sandwich Buns: Recipe

If you have a bread machine with a Dough setting, this recipe from a recent King Arthur catalog is easy and fun to make, the brief hot-water bath making for chewy, hearty results.

Pretzel Sandwich Buns (makes 10)

1-3/4 cups (14 ounces) of water
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon of salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 teaspoons of dry yeast

1. Mix and knead these ingredients by hand into a dough, or put them in a breadmaker set to Dough Cycle. When it's ready:
2: Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled, about one hour.
3. Lightly punch down the risen dough and cut into 10 pieces. Shape these pieces into balls and place on a greased baking sheet, cover, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and in a large pot prepare the water bath:

2 quarts of water
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup baking soda 

and bring it to a full boil. Drop 5 dough balls at a time into the water bath. Cook for 30 seconds, remove with slotted spoon, and place on baking sheet. With scissors or a knife cut a one-half inch deep "X" into the tops of the bun. Sprinkle each bun with sea salt if you like.

Bake 20 to 24 minutes until they are deep dark brown like a pretzel. Cool on a rack.