Bagels

“For every human hand leaves its mark, an imprint like no other.”  I read these words a few weeks ago and it made me think about how each of us is unique; each of us has an opportunity to make a difference; what legacy will each of us leave behind.  And what is mine…

Susan B. has made her mark on this blog being a frequent contributor with some stellar recipes (sea bass; salted caramel cheesecake; North Carolina barbecue; monkey bread; meatballs; pancakes).  She shared this bagel recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction – twice.  Travis has made them – twice.  He was more successful – and daring – in his second go round.  He had a lot of fun trying out various toppings (not shown here – the chocolate – think chocolate iced donut but with a bagel base) – shown above: plain, cinnamon sugar, salt, cheese, and sesame.    

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (between 100-110°F)
• 2 3/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
• 4 cups bread flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for work surface and hands
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or packed light or dark brown sugar (or barley malt syrup)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Nonstick spray or 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup honey (or barley malt syrup)

Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm water and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Add the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. The dough is very stiff and will look somewhat dry.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 4-5 minutes. The dough is too heavy for the mixer to knead it.

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until double in size.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Shape the bagels: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 8 equal-ish pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Press your index finger through the center of each ball to make a hole about 1.5 – 2 inches in diameter.

Loosely cover the shaped bagels with kitchen towel and rest for a few minutes as you prepare the water bath.

Preheat oven to 425.

Water bath: Fill a large, wide pot with 2 quarts of water. Whisk in the honey. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Drop bagels in, 2-4 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side.  Remove from the water bath. 

Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top and around the sides of each bagel. Place 4 bagels onto each lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. You want the bagels to be a dark golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow bagels to cool on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cover leftover bagels tightly and store at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (but they won’t last that long).