Between my cookbooks and my internet bookmarks I have hundreds of saved recipes that I'd love to make, but that just aren't "everyday" meals. So when a holiday or special occasion rolls around, I try to pick one recipe I've been waiting to make, and for Father's Day yesterday I chose homemade bagels.
Growing up in the northeast, you didn't have to look too hard to find good bagels. In fact, it wasn't until I moved away that I realized how much quality can vary when it comes to bagels. Nowadays, the only time I eat these treats is when I'm back home for a visit.
So with good bagels being so hard to find, I'll admit I was intimidated about trying to make my own - especially because I have absolutely no experience making bread of any kind. The good news? These are so very easy, and so delicious fresh out of the oven. They do take some time to make, but that's due to the dough's need to sit and rise; in other words, hands-off time that you can spend preparing the rest of the meal (or putting your feet up with a cold Mimosa).
Homemade Bagel Recipe
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
2 (.25-oz). packets active dry yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
Instructions
Pour the warm water into a small bowl, then sprinkle the yeast over the top, followed by the 2 tbsp. sugar. Let the bowl sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to look foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and Kosher salt, then add the yeast mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients until the dough comes together, then turn it out onto a clean, lightly-floured surface.
Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Coat the inside of a large bowl with a thin layer of olive oil, then place the dough inside. Roll the dough around the bowl until it's coated with oil on all sides, then cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm location; let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Hint: to create a warm place for the dough to rise, fill a small bowl with water and heat in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Then remove the bowl of water from the microwave, place the bowl of dough inside and close the door.
When the dough has risen, remove it from the microwave and punch it down. Divide the dough into 8 to 12 equal portions (depending on how large you want the bagels to be) and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then cover and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes.
Use your thumb to poke a hole through the center of each ball of dough, and gently stretch until the hole is between 1 and 1.25 inches wide. Place the dough rings back on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, cover and let rise for another 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fill a large wide pot with water and add 1 tbsp. sugar, and bring the water to a gentle boil. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork.
Carefully place the bagels in the boiling water, working in batches of 3 to 4 bagels at a time; be careful not to crowd the bagels. Boil for 2 minutes on one side, then flip them over and boil for 1 more minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels, and set them on a clean dish towel to soak up any excess water. Then use a pastry brush to cover the top of each bagel with beaten egg.
Arrange the boiled bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Optional: For flavored bagels, add toppings after boiling and brushing with the egg but before baking the bagels. Topping ideas include sea salt; cinnamon and sugar; minced onion; sesame seeds; poppy seeds; or rolled oats and honey.
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