Pretzel Dogs (pics or it didn't happen!)

I've been making these a lot lately: three times in the last two weeks! They're very easy, and while it does take a while to make them, about half of the time is just waiting. I'll totally be making these when I have kids: they can help roll out the dough, or "practice" with some playdoh :) I would have just posted a link to the recipe, but I changed enough things that it's really not the same recipe anymore. Besides, I took a bunch of pictures! Hope it makes you hungry >:D

Pretzel Dogs

Makes: 16

Prep time: 90 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups warm water (110F)

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon white pepper

16 hotdogs (Nathan's are best!)

2 cups warm water (110F)

2 tablespoons baking soda

Coarse salt

Directions:

In a 2-cup measuring glass, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Mix together flour and pepper in a large bowl, and stir in the liquid. Then knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

I neeeeeeeed you~ to knead me...

Place in a greased bowl (I just rinse the one I used to mix everything, and spray it with Pam), and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.

d'oh!

While the dough is rising, drain the hot dogs and pat dry with a paper towel, and clear your work surface. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in a pan or bowl that you can dip the pretzel dogs in. 

dry dogs and baking soda

When the dough is done rising, punch it down and then cut or tear the dough into quarters. 

Working with 1/4 at a time, cut or tear each 1/4 into quarters again, and roll into snakes.

Spiral a piece of dough around each hotdog (a quick roll with your palm will seal up the cracks and even out the shape), dip in the baking soda bath, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt, and let rise for another 10 minutes. 

Bake at 425F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with cheese sauce or mustard. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

My Notes:

• If you don't have a candy thermometer or another way to measure it, the water temp should be hot but not painfully hot; I just use hot water from the tap.
• Dough should rise in a warm place, so I turn my oven on to the lowest temp and put the dough in there to rise, with the door cracked open. If you plan to do the same, make sure your bowl is oven safe! I also let the dogs rise in there before turning the temp up to finish cooking them.
• I only have one cookie sheet, and it fits 8 of the pretzel dogs, so by the time the first batch is done, my baking soda bath AND the other half of the dough is cold :( I would suggest, if you have a similar setup, putting the bath into a container that can be microwaved. Wrap the 2nd half of the dogs, but don't dip them until just before they go on the sheet, and wrap them in a towel to keep them from getting too cold. It hasn't been a huge problem, but I can tell they don't puff up as huge as the first batch.
• This is personal preference, but Nathan's hotdogs are seriously the best. They are stupid expensive at Safeway, but we found them at a decent price at Winco :D Also, even if they are a little expensive, the rest of the ingredients cost almost nothing, so it really evens out :D