Pretzels with basil

Ingredients for 8 pretzels: 

– 120ml milk 

– 120ml water (room temperature) 

– 7g dried yeast 

– 400g flour 

– 40g unsalted butter 

– 2 tsp sugar 

– 1 tbsp salt 

– 1 tbsp oil 

– 2L water 

– 25g baking soda 

– 10g fresh basil 

– 1 tbsp coarse sea salt 

Instructions: 

1. Warm the milk until it’s lukewarm. In a bowl, mix the lukewarm milk, water, and yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast. 

2. After 10 minutes, add the flour, butter, sugar, and 1 tbsp salt to the mixture. Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. 

3. Finely chop the basil and incorporate it into the dough, ensuring it is evenly distributed. 

4. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly coat the bowl with oil. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour. 

5. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Once the dough has risen, divide it into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a pretzel shape. 

6. Bring 2 litres of water to a boil, then add the baking soda. Boil each pretzel for 30 seconds, flipping them halfway through. 

7. Carefully remove the pretzels from the water and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

8. Bake the pretzels for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. 

9. Once baked, sprinkle them with coarse sea salt and serve. 

Enjoy your delicious basil-infused pretzels!