Cooking class

Pretzels are incredibly fun to make and naturally delicious to eat. Top with poppy, fennel or sesame seeds, or any other seed of your choice.

1 Place milk and sugar in a medium bowl; sprinkle over yeast. Cover; stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.

2 Stir in flour, salt and butter to make a soft, sticky dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in an oiled large bowl; cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Stand in a warm place for 1½ hours or until dough has doubled in size. 3 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Oil four oven trays.

4 Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 12 even portions. Roll each portion into a 75cm rope. Form each rope into a U-shape, then cross the ends to form a loop. Twist once in the centre, then fold the ends down over the loop to form the pretzel shape.

5 Dissolve the soda in 1 litre (4 cups) warm water in a shallow dish. Gently dip each pretzel in water mixture. Place on oven trays. Sprinkle with salt flakes and seeds.

6 Bake pretzels, in two batches, for 12 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Serve warm. Suitable to freeze.

STEP 4: Gently dip pretzels in the combined soda and water in a shallow dish. Place on oven trays and sprinkle with salt flakes and seeds. Use your favourites here or leave them plain if you prefer.

STEP 1: Cover the dough with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Stand in a warm place (in front of a heater, a warm sunny spot or on the open oven door at 100°C) until the dough has doubled in size.

STEP 2: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 even portions. Roll each portion into a long, thin rope, adding more flour to prevent sticking. Form each rope into a U-shape.

STEP 3: To form the pretzel shape, cross the ends of the U-shape rope to form a loop. Twist once in the centre. Fold the ends down, over the loop.