Anna's fake cheese pretzels

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 500 g flour (wheat flour)
• 1 cube of yeast (42g)
• 50 g butter, soft
• 250 ml milk, warm
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 200 g cheese, grated
• 3 tbsp baking soda

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 25 minutes

Pretzels without caustic lye

Add the yeast and sugar to the warm milk, mix well, and let stand for a few minutes. Knead all ingredients, except the cheese and baking soda, into a smooth dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. When the dough has doubled in size, form it into 8-10 roughly equal-sized balls. Boil 1 liter of water with the baking soda, then dip each ball of dough into it with a slotted spoon for about 30 seconds. Place on a greased baking sheet and cut crosswise into each ball. Cover and let rise for another 20 minutes, then sprinkle generously with grated cheese and bake at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20-25 minutes. This baking soda-water mixture isn’t a “real” lye, but it achieves almost the same visual effect. It’s also completely safe for your hands and still tastes delicious. A variation that’s also suitable for baking with children.