Bagels

Bagels. Where do I even start? They are perfect little balls of bready goodness and I could have these for breakfast every day of my life. 
What makes bagels unique, is that they're boiled before they're baked. And if it's not boiled, it's not a bagel.

(Makes 8 bagels)

4 cups bread flour
1 tblspn sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tblspn vegetable oil
2 tsp dry yeast (1 pkt, or 7g)
1 1/4 cups warm water




1. Mix warm water and sugar and sprinkle yeast on top. Sit it in a warm place for 10mins


2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the centre and pour in yeast mixture and oil. Combine all ingredients together. The dough should be stiff, but if it's really stiff, add another 1/4 cup of warm water


NT. Remember, yeast is a living organism. Combining the salt and flour prevents the salt from killing the yeast. While the sugar in the warm water feeds it.

3. Turn onto a floured surface and knead dough for 10mins, until smooth and elastic. Cut into 8 equal size balls, cover with a damp tea towel, and leave to rest for 15-20 mins. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a pinch of salt


NT. It takes longer to boil salted water, so wait for the water to come to a boil before you salt it.


4. Preheat oven to 200 C


5. Make bagels into bagel shape.... There is a special rolling technique... but I suck at it, so I roll into a ball, flatten it a little and push my thumb through the centre to create a hole. Stretch the hole until it's about 1.5" wide. 
(If you want to try the proper bagel technique, follow this link. I got the recipe from it too.)


5. Rest bagels for 20 mins, until all puffy. Boil in batches, approx 2 mins on each side. Do not overcrowd. Remove with slotted spoon and place on an oiled baking tray, flipping over so both sides are coated in oil.
If you like, sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds - helps if you push them in a little

6. Bake for 10mins, each side. Try to allow to cool slightly before digging in.