Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup melted butter, plus 1 extra tablespoon for bowl
Course salt for pretzel topping
Baking soda bath:
10 cups of water
2/3 cup baking soda
For the Beer Cheese Sauce:
1/4 cup beer (I used a Hefeweizen beer, but you can use any favorite beer you like), at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded* (from a block or wheel of cheese, please see note at bottom of recipe), at room temperature.
1/2 cup Velvetta cheese, cubed small bite size pieces, at room temperature.
Directions:
1. In a medium sauce pan, stir in 1 1/2 cups water and 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar. Set on low heat until a thermometer reads between 110-115 degrees F. Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes until foamy. If mixture does not foam, discard and try again with fresh yeast.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Add the foamy yeast mixture and the 1/4 cup of melted butter. Using a dough hook attachment mix on low speed, then increase speed to medium and knead dough for 6 minutes until the dough forms into a ball. About 4 minutes into mixing, if the dough is dry (not completely forming a ball around the dough hook) add water a tablespoon at a time. If dough is too sticky (dough is sticking to bottom of bowl or sticks to your fingers upon touch) add flour a tablespoon at a time. The ideal ball of dough you want is one that is forming a ball around the dough hook and not sticking to the bottom of the bowl and does not stick to your fingers when you touch it.
3. Brush a large bowl with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Remove the dough from dough hook, reform into a ball and add to the bowl turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large cooking pot add 10 cups of water and whisk in baking soda. Bring to boil then reduce to medium low.
5. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured flat surface into a 2 inch high rectangle shape and divide into 8 pieces. Return 4 pieces back to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap for later. With the 4 pieces you have on the flat surface, roll each piece out into a cigar shape about 24 inches long. Cut each rope into 4 inch bite size stick pieces.
6. Make sure the soda water on the stove is at a slight boil, then add each dough stick (about 6 at a time) for 30 seconds, turn with a spider spoon or slotted spatula for another 30 seconds. Remove each dough stick from the water (draining as much water as you can back into soda water) to the prepared baking sheet. Tip: sprinkle each 6 piece batch of dough sticks with course salt as soon as you have put them down on the baking sheet. This ensures the salt adheres to the dough when it’s still wet from the soda bath.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from the oven to a wire rack to cool.
8. Repeat with the remaining dough you have in the bowl.
For the Beer Cheese sauce:
1. Preheat a large frying pan on the stove on medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the beer to the frying pan and let it heat up for 1 minute.
3. Add and stir until combined the yellow mustard, garlic powder and cayenne powder.
4. Add cheddar cheese and Velvetta cheese and slowly stir until melted and all combined. Transfer cheese sauce to a serving bowl and serve away!
*Notes: Store bought shredded cheese contains potato starch and powdered cellulose. It keeps the cheese from clumping and shreds of cheese separate. Using store bought shredded cheese can cause cheese sauces to separate and become grainy, ending in a big pile of failure. By shredding your own cheese from a block or a wheel of cheese equals a successful cheese sauce.
When registering the temperature of the water for the instant dry yeast. Buy an old fashioned wet bulb candy thermometer. The very close range of 110-115 degrees F. has to be spot on or else the yeast will not activate by getting foamy. I have had no luck what so ever trying to use a modern digital thermometer.
Two things about this recipe I am a little bit unconventional in the directions. Instead of sprinkling sugar over the yeast to activate it. I just whisk the sugar into the water before heating, it works just fine. Also when making the dough, most recipes have you remove the sticky dough to a heavily floured cutting board and work the flour into the dough. My method is to just keep adding the flour when its in the mixing bowl until you are able to handle it without it sticking to your fingers.