Valentines - Soft Pretzel Hearts

Soft Whole Wheat Pretzels

Mix together & let sit:

1 cup warm water

2 TBS yeast

2 tsps honey

In a large saucepan, melt:

½ cup butter

Add and heat to 120 degrees:

2 ½ cups milk

½ cup honey

Then pour into yeast mixture.

Stir together and add by bits to yeast mixture:

8 cups whole wheat flour

4 tsps salt

Knead dough for 5 to 10 minutes.  Cover and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Knead a few times to release air.  Pinch off a smallish  ball of dough (depending on the size of pretzel you want to create).   Roll into a long snake and shape.  Place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Right when you take the pretzels out of the oven, slather them with butter and sprinkle with salt.

½ cup melted butter

salt

* made 75 smallish heart pretzels (15 to a jellyroll cookie sheet)

Original recipe  here.