Mix flour, salt, yeast, butter, and dissolved malt extract in milk to form a dough.
Knead the dough on a clean surface for 10 minutes until smooth and glossy.
Divide dough and mix orange zest and poppy seeds into one half before proving both until doubled.
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
Divide each dough into six pieces and roll into 40-50cm tapered strands.
Shape the strands into double-twisted pretzels and place onto parchment-lined trays.
Alternatively, manually twist the ends twice and seal them underneath the pretzel circle.
Boil pretzels in water with bicarbonate of soda for five seconds, then top plain ones with salt and sesame seeds.
Slash the thickest part of each pretzel with a sharp knife.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pretzels are a deep brown color.
Boil orange juice with 100g sugar and zest to create a reduced syrup glaze.
Brush the baked sweet pretzels with syrup and garnish with candied zest.