Bagels may seem difficult to make but as it turns out, it's not hard at all! These bagels are chewy on the inside with a perfect crust on the outside. Simple ingredients with simple instructions. You got this!
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp active dry yeast (or one packet)
-1 1/2 tbsp sugar, plus 1 tbsp for boiling the bagels
-1 1/4 cups lukewarm water, plus 8 cups for boiling the bagels
-3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-1 egg for egg wash
Directions:
1. Add the yeast and sugar to 1/2 cup of lukewarm water. Cover with a towel and let the yeast bloom for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt, then add the yeast mixture and the remaining 1/3 cup of water. Mix until combined. You want the mixture to be moist but firm, so you may need to add more water/flour to get this consistency.
3. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Add dough back to the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled.
4. After the dough has doubled, punch down and divide dough into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball.
5. Gently push your finger through the center of the ball to form a ring. Stretch the ring to about 1/3 the size of the bagel and then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Shape the other 7 bagels. Cover with a moist towel to rise again for about 10 minutes. I just leave them to rise until the water has begun to boil in the next step!
6. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees while bringing the 8 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp of sugar to the boiling water and begin dropping the bagels in. I can boil 4 at a time in my pot. Boil each side for about 2 minutes and then add them back to the baking sheet.
7. Once all the bagels have been boiled, whisk the egg for the egg wash. Brush each bagel lightly with the egg wash and then add whatever toppings you'd like. My favorite toppings include everything seasoning, sesame seeds, onion flakes or shredded cheese.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bagels are golden brown.
ENJOY!