So I've been trying to make pretzel rolls or laugenbrotchen.  The first attempt, I ended up with roll shaped bagels.  I assumed that this was due to the fact that I first boiled the dough in a baking soda solution before baking instead of using the traditional lye dip.  So when my boyfriend went to Germany, I asked him to bring back some lye for pretzels.  He came back with something called kaisernatron.  He claims that everyone makes pretzels with this stuff.  I was skeptical since it seemed like it was just baking soda, but then I made the pretzel rolls with it and it was much more like pretzels than when I first made them with american baking soda.  So I guess what I'm trying to ask is, is german baking soda somehow different than american baking soda?  

 Also, does anyone know how long you boil the dough before removing it to bake?  I think I might have boiled mine too long.  Most of my rolls had soggy parts that didn't dry up during baking.  They soggy parts are pretty bitter tasting. 

So, I'm the office baker (I love to bake and live alone, so I bring the goodies into the office so I don't eat it all myself!), and recently someone tossed out the idea of pretzel bread.

I hadn't heard of it before and was wondering if I just need to use a good pretzel recipe and shape the dough into loaf instead of pretzels, or if there is an actual pretzel bread recipe floating around out there. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks much!
Alexis

Grandmother's Apple Cake

5 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar

1 cup AP flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 medium baking apples

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Just for you my dear when you're home alone.