Recipe

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• 2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 (1/4 oz) packages active dry yeast
• 1 dash water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup almonds, chopped
• 7 cups flour, unbleached

• 1 Heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130°F).
• 2 Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour.
• 3 Slowly beat into warm milk.
• 4 Beat for 2 minutes.
• 5 Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
• 6 Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• 7 Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
• 8 Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• 9 Place dough in a greased bowl.
• 10 Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• 11 Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled (1 hour more).
• 12 Divide dough in half.
• 13 Shape pretzel as follows: roll dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• 14 Cross the ends leaving a large loop in the center.
• 15 Flip loop back onto crossed ends to form a pretzel.
• 16 Repeat with remaining dough.
• 17 Place pretzels on greased baking sheets.
• 18 Let rise 15 minutes more.
• 19 Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• 20 Cool on wire racks.
• 21 Mix confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.
• 22 Spread icing on pretzels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
• 23 Makes 2 large pretzels.