Place the flour, fine salt, yeast, butter, milk and syrup into a stand mixer bowl

Using a dough hook, beat until a stiff dough forms

Turn out onto a lightly dusted surface and knead to develop the gluten

Place into a bowl, cover and leave to prove until doubled in size

Preheat the oven to 200° Celsius

Place the water and bicarbonate of soda into a large pot and bring to the boil

Turn the dough out onto a lightly dusted surface and gently knock back

Shape the pretzels

Dip each pretzel one at a time into the boiling water

When they pop to the top place onto a lined baking tray

Slash the base of the pretzels

Sprinkle the coarse salt and a generous amount of sesame seeds over each one

Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack