Pretzel Bones

$15 - $20 (based on 2016 prices) 
Makes fourteen pretzels  

Every Halloween party needs spooky snacks and I’m always on the hunt for ways to transform common recipes into ghoulish treats. The idea behind this project is rather simple: take a basic pretzel recipe and mold the dough into bone shapes. To give the snack a creepier touch, use food coloring to dye the cheese sauce a moldy green or gory red. Also, for the time-pressed haunter who hates to cook, the process can be streamlined by using a store-bough pretzel mix.

• 4 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ Teaspoons salt
• 1 Package active dry yeast
• 1 Cup milk
• ½ Cup water
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ Cup baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons coarse sea salt
  

1. In a large bowl, combine salt, sugar, undissolved yeast, and two cups of flour.

2. In a small saucepan, gradually warm milk, oil, and water over medium heat until the mixture reaches 130°F (do not boil the liquids). 

3. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture, adding additional flour to make the dough soft and malleable. Cover the dough with a tea towel and allow it to rest for twenty-five minutes.

4. Divide the dough into fourteen equal pieces and form each piece into a bone shape (or other Halloween-themed designs). To prevent the dough from drying out, keep the pieces covered with a tea towel.

5. Preheat the oven to 400°F and, in a large pot, dissolve the baking soda in four cups of water, bringing the mixture to a boil. With a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer each pretzel – one at a time – to the boiling liquid and allow it to soak for fifteen seconds.

6. Place the pretzels on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle their surface with coarse sea salt, and bake them for ten minutes or until they become golden brown.

7. Remove the pretzels from the baking sheet and allow them to cool on a wire rack.