Homemade Bagels

   I had to give these a try - this is the first bagel recipe I've seen that doesn't call for any 'fancy' ingredients but, still yields some of the best homemade bagels we've eaten!  I did make 8 plain and 1 poppy-seed.  To me the most important aspect is using a great high protein bread flour (like King Arthur Brand) I am at altitude and in a very dry climate - and all of their flours work perfectly for me.  I opted to use brown sugar in the dough and water-bath to see what quality the bagels would produce (the offer other options but, this is what I had on hand.) These are nice, dense and chewy in the inside and have that smooth 'bite' to the outside crust.   We prefer to slice and toast these for jam in the mornings...I hope you give these a try...Enjoy! Diane 

Homemade Bagels 

Dough Ingredients: 
1 Tbs Instant Yeast, if you have the small packets, its about 1 1/2 packets 
4 Cups Unbleached Bread Flour, I prefer King Arthur Bread Flour 
2 teaspoons Salt
1 Tbs brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups  Water, the temperature your yeast calls for (mine is 120-130) 

Water-bath Ingredients: 
2 quarts water, in a shallow large pan
2 Tbs brown sugar  
1 Tbs granulated sugar

Directions: 

1. I use my stand mixer with a dough hook, place all of the dough ingredients into mixer bowl and knead for 10 minutes or up to 15 minutes (if you're kneading by hand). The dough will be quite stiff; it will hold its shape (without spreading at all) when you stop the mixer.
2. Place the dough in a lightly olive oiled bowl, place in, turn once to coat and flip over, cover and set it aside to rise until it's almost doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
3. Lightly grease two baking sheets *I spray mine with Pam with Flour non-stick spray. Transfer the dough to a work surface, and divide it into eight to nine pieces 
4. Working with one piece at a time, roll it into a smooth, round ball. Place the balls on one of the prepared baking sheets. Cover the balls with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 30 minutes. They will  slightly puff.
5. While the dough is resting, prepare the water bath by heating the water, and sugars to a very gentle boil in a large, wide-diameter pan. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
6. Using your index finger, poke a hole through the center of each ball, then twirl the dough on your finger to stretch the hole until it's about 2" in diameter. Place the bagels on one of the baking sheets.
7. Transfer the bagels, four at a time if possible, to the simmering water. Increase the heat under the pan to bring the water back up to a gently simmering boil, if necessary. Cook the bagels for 2 minutes, flip them over, and cook 1 minute more. I used two chopsticks to flip my bagels and then removed from the water and placed them on the second baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
8. **Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're as deep brown as you like, turning them over about 15 minutes into the baking time (this will help them remain tall and round). Remove the bagels from the oven, and cool completely on a rack.  

**NOTE: If you want a sesame seed or poppy-seed bagel - do a light egg wash - brush wash onto bagels and sprinkle on the seeds before popping into the oven.
Egg Wash:  (one well beaten egg white & 1 Tbs cold water) 


Recipe Adapted from: King Arthur Flour
Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home