Pretzel Sandwich Buns Recipes

Steps:

• Mix and knead the dough ingredients - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
• Allow the dough to rise in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for about 1 hour, until doubled. Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
• Divide the dough into 10 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Prepare the water bath: Bring the water, salt, and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
• Drop 5 dough balls at a time into the water bath.
• Cook for 30 seconds, flip over, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Using a slotted spoon, return the buns to the baking sheet.
• Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut 1/2"-deep crosses into the center of each bun. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
• Bake the buns for 20 to 24 minutes, or until they're a deep-dark brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar over 1/2 cup of warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Add milk, shortening, eggs, oil, 3 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Mix in remaining 3 cups of flour by hand, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Uncover the dough and punch it down.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pull off baseball size portions of dough and roll into "snakes" about 6 inches long. Roll each "snake" into a spiral to give the tops some texture. Set each formed bun aside.
• Mix the baking soda and 4 cups hot water in a bowl. The baking soda does not need to dissolve completely. Dip each bun in the baking soda solution before placing on a baking sheet. Brush each bun with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in the preheated oven until brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack or brown paper bag.

Steps:

• Add 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water and the yeast to a large bowl and allow the yeast to sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Once the dough is shaggy, but mostly holding together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough for about 3 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place back inside the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and leave in a warm, dry place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down once to release some of the air bubbles. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces with a pizza cutter or a sharp knife. Form each piece into a ball, and place seam side down. Let rise, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring 12 cups of water and the baking soda to a light simmer in a large pot.
• Submerge 2 to 3 dough balls at a time into the simmering water using a slotted spoon. Let them sit in the water for 10 seconds per side. Carefully remove each roll, making sure to drain off as much liquid as possible and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make an X on the top of each roll. Brush the remaining melted butter on the rolls and sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
• To assemble the sandwiches: Slice each roll in half. Spread softened butter on each of the cut sides of the roll, using about 1 tablespoon of butter per roll. Delicately fold and layer ham on the bottom half of each roll. Top with brie and place about a 1/4 cup of arugula on top of the ham. Sandwich with the top buns.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat the milk, 1/2 cup water, sugar and honey to 105 to 110 degrees F. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture and wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes until the yeast blooms.
• In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Combine the all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.
• Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the blooming yeast, and then add in the melted butter and garlic mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together and is smooth and elastic in texture and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cut into 4 equal pieces, and then cut those in half to form 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with a dish cloth and let them rest in a warm place for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Once rested, lightly dust your work surface again and roll the balls into 7-inch logs. Place onto the other prepared baking sheet, cover, place back in the warm spot and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place one oven rack high and one low. Line 2 more baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
• In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil, and then add the baking soda. In batches, place the dough in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.
• Using a slotted spatula, remove the logs and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the logs with pretzel salt as they come out of the water, to ensure the salt sticks. Then cut 3 diagonal slits on top of the bread, not too deep.
• Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating between the top and bottom racks of the oven halfway through the cooking.

Steps:

• In a small bowl if using a bread machine, or in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix a 1/3 cup of the warm water (105-115 degrees) with the yeast and let stand until foamy.
• Add the remaining cup of warm water along with milk, sugar & melted butter and swirl to dissolve the sugar. (If using a bread machine add mixture to bread machine at this point and continue).
• Add flour and mix on dough cycle or med-low speed.
• Remove dough from bread machine once it forms a nice a firm, pliable dough ball.
• Add more flour if necessary.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured table and knead for 2 minutes.
• Roll into a 2 foot long log and cut into 12 even pieces.
• Cover dough with plastic and a damp cloth and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Pat dough into rolls or form knots and arrange on a lightly floured surface about an inch apart and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap.
• Let the pretzels rest for an additional 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425°.
• Lightly oil 2 baking sheets.
• In a large stockpot, bring the cold water to a rolling boil and add baking soda.
• Drop two rolls into the boiling water and boil for no more then 30 seconds, turning once.
• Carefully remove with tongs or slotted spoon and hold above pot and let drain.
• Sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Repeat with the remaining rolls.
• Arrange rolls on the oiled baking sheets and bake on the upper and middle racks of the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until browned all over; shift pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through, for even baking.
• Let rolls cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.