One way of thinking of it is that using rubato in a piece of music will give a performance of close to the same length as if the piece were played with a strict metronomic attack. The 'gives and takes' in a rubato performance balance out in the end.
When the lye solution is hot, just below a simmer, dip each pretzel in the lye solution for 10 or 15 seconds, then remove to your baking pan. Repeat with the others, sprinkle them with salt and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Thereâs no end to the fun when you know the basic bread dough ratio!
The lye solution does at least two things for pretzels: It raises the pH of the pretzel's skin, which in turn makes the pretzel brown nicely as it bakes. Imparts that slightly bitter flavor. I don't think the salt used on pretzels is there to make up for a lack of salt in the dough. You can make pretzels that have plenty of flavor even without salt. I think the salt is there mainly because people like salt, because it adds a pleasing crunch, and because it's traditional -- it's part of what people (or at least Americans) expect from the pretzel experience.