Cheddar Bacon Stuffed Pretzel Buns

See? I told you I'd pull through with something ridiculously calorific this week.

So, I know I've made you stuffed cheese buns on a few occasions. So I decided Something radical must be done if I was going to get your full attention. Namely, bacon.

So yesterday I was like, "Whoa man, I haven't posted in a week and I have nothing left in my reserves worth posting."

That was at about noon so I stupidly thought, "Well, I'll just make something for lunch quick."

Of course I didn't take into account that these ravenous wolves cannot wait a whole hour for lunch to be ready. So I had to listen to them whining about how hungry they were the whole time I was making these and by the time they were finally done and photographed they had already eaten PB&Js or something boring like that. So I ended up warming them up for dinner instead.

Even though they were all ripped in half, smashed, and dried out and burnt from me reheating them in the oven, they still all raved.

You can rave too. Make them today. Good day.

• • Cheddar Bacon Stuffed Pretzel Buns
    Makes a dozen (adapted from this Auntie Anne's Copycat Recipe)2 cups milk
    1 1/2 tablespoons (2 packets) active dry yeast
    6 tablespoons brown sugar
    4 tablespoons butter, melted
    4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons fine salt
  • 3/4 cup crumbled bacon
    1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I don't remember if it was sharp or medium. Just whatever you like is fine.)
  • 1/3 cup baking soda
    2 cups warm water
    Coarse salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano and parsley)Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about one and a half minutes. It should be about 110º. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast. You should be able to comfortably keep your finger in it.
  • Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes. Add the butter and sugar. Add the flour about 1 cup at a time and the add the fine salt. Kneed for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand.
  • Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size. Preheat the panggangan to 400º.
  • Punch down dough and divide into 12 lumps. Flatten each lump into about a 3 inch wide disk. Place a couple tablespoons of cheese and then about a tablespoon of bacon in each one and pinch shut tight to form a ball.
  • Combine the warm water and baking soda in a bowl. Dunk each roll into the water.
  • Place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Use a serrated knife to cut a slit in the top of each roll.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes or until browned (I divided them between two baking sheets, but you can do them all on one sheet probably if you don't mind them running together).
    Combine the butter, garlic, and paprika and microwave until the butter is melted. Then add the herbs (if you don't feel like it, you can just use plain butter without the herbs, garlic, and paprika). Brush the rolls with the butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve immediately.