Hard Pretzels Handmade at Home !

This recipe took many attempts but here they are FINALLY ! FUN to make too ! Enjoy your own Pretzels! I am adding this for your information, THESE ONLY KEEP FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK then lose that hard pretzel crispness! These are great for right away snacking but do not plan on storing these they will not keep.

 
1 & 1/2 Cups Warm Water      
2 TSP Sea Salt
1 TBS Sugar
1 Yeast Packet
2 TBS Shortening    
Stir warm water, salt, sugar & melted shortening together, Stir in yeast & set aside but make sure yeast has dissolved into the water.
4 & 1/2 Cups Flour. Add water mixture slowly beating with mixer or a food processor until you have a firm dough. I started with my mixer & then ended working the flour in with my hands. Cover & set dough aside to rise about 2 hours. It will not quite double in size.
Now the FUN BEGINS.
Mix together
2 Egg Whites beaten, with 2 TBS water & 2 TBS Baking Soda beat well !
Pinch off egg size pieces of dough one at a time & roll between your hands until you have an approx. 19 to 20 inch rope of dough. I used a twirling motion, pulled & stretched slightly. On your parchment covered baking sheet lay rope of dough out & twist into pretzel shapes. Brush the pretzel with the egg mixture at once & sprinkle with coarse sea salt ! Continue with all of the dough.

                                                                              
You will get exactly 12 pretzels! Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until dark brown check at 20 minutes,  if dark brown, lower the temperature to 350 degrees & bake  another 20 minutes, lower the oven to 300 degrees & bake another 30 minutes checking at each step that the pretzels are not getting to brown. After they baked at 300 degrees TURN OVEN OFF but let pretzels cool COMPLETELY in the off but closed oven. You will have CRISPY BEAUTIFUL PRETZELS !