Soft Pretzels with Apple and Caramel

Ingredients:

Soft pretzels

• 1 cup whole milk, heated to 43°C
• 7 g active dry yeast (2 and 1/4 tsp)
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 and 1/4 cups of premium flour + extra for kneading the dough
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing the bowl
• 1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/3 cup of baking soda
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt

Caramel cream glaze

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• A pinch of coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Soft pretzels:
   
   Pour warm milk into a medium bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Let the yeast dissolve for about 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, and 1 cup of flour until smooth. Stir in the softened butter until fully incorporated, then add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour, chopped apple, cinnamon, and coarse salt to form a sticky dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until smooth but still slightly sticky, about 5 minutes. Form into a ball, place in a large greased bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 230°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping directly from the bag will compact the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.
5. Punch the dough down to deflate it, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. If the dough feels stiff, cover it and let it rest until it softens. Divide the dough into 6 pieces.
6. Working with one piece at a time, roll and stretch it between your palms into a 60cm long rope. Lift the ends of the rope up, creating a U-shape.
7. Then, cross one end over the other twice to create a double twist in the middle. Bend the ends and attach them to the bottom of the horseshoe, creating a pretzel shape.
8. Repeat the same with the remaining dough.
9. Dissolve baking soda in 3 cups of hot water in a shallow baking dish. Carefully dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution, let any excess water drain, then place on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until the pretzels are puffy and deep golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
10. Caramel cream glaze:
    
    In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, then pour into a medium bowl. Stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth (it should be thick enough not to run). Immediately transfer the icing to a small pastry bag or zip-lock bag, snip the corner, and pipe onto the cooled pretzels. Let the icing set for about 10 minutes.