Laugenbroetchen

Makes 1 dozen

• 520 g Strong bread flour
• 300-310 g lukewarm water
• 3-4 g dry yeast
• 25 g butter (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 50 g baking soda for each liter of water for Lauge

Measure out the flour in a bowl and form a small hollow in the middle to hold the water, sugar and yeast. Let rest until the yeast is foamy, then add the salt and butter and knead 10 minutes on slow. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Divide into 12 and form into balls. Let rest for 15-30 minutes. In the mean time, pre-heat the oven to 200C, and set a pot containing 1-1.5 liters water to boiling. Just before you are ready, slowly add the baking sode to the water (it will foam!). Place the doughballs in the boiling water for ~30-40 s (turning occasionally). Slit the doughballs with a cross ~1/2" deep, and sprinkle with coarse-grain salt or sesame seeds (sprinkle just before putting into oven).

Alternative: Kaeselaugenstangen: instead of forming into balls, form into cigar shapes. After boiling in the soda, slit the rolls deeply lengthwise and fill with cheese (preferably some form of Bergkaese--e.g. Gruyere, Comte, Appenzeller, etc).

Adapted from: http://slava.com.de/?p=697