Laugenbrezel (Bavarian-Style Soft Pretzels)

For the Poolish: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and yeast to combine. Add water and, using a dough whisk or wooden spoon, stir until combined and no dry bits remain. Cover tightly and let sit at warm room temperature (72 to 77˚F; 22 to 25ºC) until dough is bubbly and has expanded by about half, 3 to 4 hours. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

For the Dough: Add water and butter to bowl with the poolish and, using a dough whisk or wooden spoon, stir until mixture is mostly uniform. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the poolish, water, and butter mixture and knead by hand until shaggy but uniform dough forms. Cover well and let sit at warm room temperature (72 to 77˚F; 22 to 25ºC) for 30 minutes. 

Using slightly moistened hands, knead dough in bowl until uniform in texture, 15 to 30 seconds. Cover well and let sit until puffy and expanded by about half, 60 to 90 minutes.

To Form the Pretzels: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly flour top of dough, then transfer to a lightly-floured work surface. Using a dough scraper, divide dough into 6 equal wedges of about 88g (3 ounces) each. Starting with the pointy end of the wedge, roll each wedge into a log about 3 inches long, pinching the edge of the rolled-up log along its length to seal. (Do not pinch the log's ends closed.) Cover the logs with an inverted container large enough to contain them all without touching, or a clean plastic garbage bag.

Clear your countertop of any flour, then, working one log at a time, roll each log into an 18-inch-long rope of even thickness, rolling from the center out to press out any large bubbles. (If the dough sticks to your hands or countertop, lightly flour your hands and not the dough itself; in order to roll the dough evenly, you need friction between the dough and countertop. If the dough begins to slide around on the countertop, lightly mist your hands with water using a spray bottle.)

Taper the outer 6 inches on either end of the rope slightly and continue rolling until the rope is 24 inches total. (Be sure to measure the dough after it has sat for a few seconds; if the rope shrinks after sitting for a few seconds, allow the dough to rest for several minutes, then resume rolling until it is 24 inches long.)

Lay the rope on the countertop and draw the two ends toward you to form a U-shape. Cross the two ends of the rope over themselves twice, then fold this bundle over itself toward the bend of the U so that the two ends of the rope just overlap the curve. Adjust the placement of the tips so that 3 even windows form, then press the tips down to seal. Transfer the pretzel to the prepared baking sheet and cover loosely with a clean plastic garbage bag. Repeat with the remaining logs, spacing the pretzels evenly apart on the baking sheet.

Transfer the loosely covered baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC). While the oven preheats, remove the bag from the baking sheet of pretzels and allow pretzels to sit in the fridge uncovered, at least 30 minutes (and up to an hour)

For Dipping the Pretzels (see 'Notes' for an alternative method using baking soda): If using a lye dip, set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment; spray rack with nonstick cooking spray. Line a second baking sheet with parchment and place it next to the first one. In a large, non-reactive container (such as a Pyrex, glass, or stainless steel bowl or baking dish), add the water. Set the container in the center of the second pan. Wearing gloves and protective eyewear, sprinkle lye over the surface of the water and allow to dissolve, about 5 minutes. (It is very important you put the full amount of water in the container first and then add the lye; if you put the lye in the container and then pour water on top you could cause a violent reaction.) Cover the container loosely with parchment while the oven heats.

Wearing gloves and protective eyewear, transfer one pretzel to the lye bath, bottom side up, and let sit for 30 to 40 seconds. (If necessary, use a non-reactive spoon to gently keep the pretzel fully submerged.) Using gloved hands, transfer the pretzel face up to the rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining pretzels. When all the pretzels have been dipped, transfer them back to the original rimmed baking sheet face up and spaced evenly apart. Sprinkle pretzels evenly with pretzel salt and transfer to oven. Bake until dark brown, 12 to 14 minutes. (The lye-dipped pretzels will naturally be darker than the ones dipped in baking soda.) Using a spray bottle, mist pretzels lightly with water and return to oven until the pretzels have a glossy sheen, 30 seconds.

Remove pretzels from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.