Soft Pretzels Name: Nathalie Alcantara Base: Fort Eustis Recipe: 4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 5 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup baking soda 4 cups hot water 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.