In a large mixing bowl mix the warm water, sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and leave for 5 minutes, until it begins to froth.

Pour in the melted butter and then gradually add the flour. Initially you will need a wooden spoon to mix, but as the batter thickens you can switch to kneading with your hands.

When the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl, tip out onto a silicone baking mat and knead for around 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and even.

Clean and lightly grease the bowl, form the dough into a round and place in the bottom of the bowl. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place to prove for one hour or until doubled in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 450⁰F / 230⁰C / Gas mark 8, and place your silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet or baking tray. Stir together the 10 cups water and baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, and heat in a large pan. You will want this to get to a rolling boil.

Meanwhile, turn the dough out onto an un-floured surface (not a silicone baking mat) and divide into 12 equal pieces. Now comes the time to shape your twists! Instructions are for each 12th of the dough, so one pretzel twist.

Roll the dough into a long thin sausage of about 18-20 inches. Note the reason you do this on a non-floured surface, and not on the silicone baking mat, is that you will need traction for the dough to stay rolled out. The silicone mat is just too non-stick!

Fold the sausage in half, pinching the ends together to hold in place, and then twist 2 or 3 times.

Gently pull the twist at the folded end apart to leave a hole.

Take the stuck-together end and, folding the shape in half, twist it around the other end. Poke the stuck-together end through the hole you made at the folded end.

Got that? Phew!

One by one, place the twists into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and shake off any excess water. Place onto your baking mat, evenly spaced.

Brush the pretzel twists with the egg wash and sprinkle with rock salt. Bake the twists for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pans halfway through to ensure even baking.

Remove the twists from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving warm.