Bagels are round rolls with a hole in the middle. Indeed, just like a donut … but then savory instead of sweet. Also, unlike donuts, they are not fried and the texture is also ‘firmer’. Another fact is that they are very tasty. Especially if you invested generously. It is true that this recipe will cost you a little more time than other bread-related recipes. But hey … you have a nice supply after that effort. Very special about this recipe: you have to cook the bagels briefly before baking!
Homemade bagels
Ingredients
- 800 grams Flour (wheat or spelt)
- 500 ml water, lukewarm
- 11 grams Instant yeast
- 1 tsp seasalt
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup or agave syrup
- Poppy seeds or sesame - to garnish
Instructions
- Mix the flour, the instant yeast and the salt in a large bowl. Use a kitchen beater to do that as thoroughly as possible. Mix the water with the maple syrup in another bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the water and mix with a wooden spoon. Then knead the dough firmly for about 8 minutes. You finish with a smooth and supple dough.
- Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm, dry place.
- Pour the risen dough onto a floured work surface and knead again. Then divide into 12 to 14 individual portions.
- Roll each portion of dough into a ball and then press it flat with your hands (a 'hamburger'). Make a hole in the middle of each ball with your finger and then turn it around your finger to make the shape smooth (see also tip).
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. Brush the parchment paper over the entire surface with some oil and place the bagels on it.
- Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (350°F). Bring a large (wide) pot of water to the boil and prepare a clean, dry tea towel. Also keep a plate with sesame or poppy seed ready.
- Boil the bagels with 2 or 3 pieces simultaneously in the boiling water. 1 minute on each side is sufficient. Scoop them out with a skimmer and place them on the tea towel to drip out.
- Carefully dip the top of each bagel into the sesame or poppy seeds and arrange them again on the baking tray.
- Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely.
Take and store bagels
Bagels are easy to take with you in your lunch box and you can use a lot of spreads or vegetables between it. Usually 2 well-filled bagels are sufficient as lunch. Freshly baked bagels can be stored for up to 2 days in a paper bag. Then they lose taste and become (too) hard. Freezing is also possible. Then pack them per 2 or 3 pieces in silver paper (not so environmentally friendly but you can of course reuse it). Leave thawed in the refrigerator 1 night in advance.
TIP: You can ‘model’ the bagels as perfectly as you want. As far as we are concerned, however, they do not have to have ‘the ideal forms’. Cooking and imperfection go well together;). Oh yes, during cooking it will seem like you are making bagels of huge size. Rest assured: they will shrink when they bake.
