Earlier this week, after a particularly trying day, we both got into the kitchen and spent a few hours crafting home-made pretzels and bagels. Pouring ourselves into recipes and flour, we found our problems melting away, and when we finally sat down at 10:30 with fresh bagels on our plates, we felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
The more I work with dough, the more confident I become. At first, baking bread from scratch can be intimidating. Believe me, I was afraid of baking yeast breads for years! But once you begin, you will find yourself falling in love with the process. You will find small joy in watching your doughs rise and great joy when you take that first bite of freshly baked bread. We made bagels for the first time this week, and we loved the flavor and the taste of these hand-crafted breakfast treats. The dough is very forgiving and rises well. Give these a try on a lazy Sunday morning...and save a trip to Einstein for another week.
2 cups lukewarm water
3.5-4 cups whole wheat flour
2 TBSP vital wheat gluten
1 TBSP active dry yeast
1 TBSP agave nectar, honey or sugar
1/4 cup honey
1.5 tsp salt
Water for boiling
1. In a large bowl, combine two cups of flour, water, flour, wheat gluten, yeast and 1 TBSP sweetener. Stir until combined and let rest, covered, for 40 minutes.
2. After dough has rested (and risen), add the remaining flour, the honey and the salt. Using a stand mixer or a large wooden spoon, stir until the flour has been fully incorporated. You may need to add additional flour. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Using a dough hook, knead dough for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. (You can also knead by hand).
3. Allow the dough to rise for an additional hour.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rough rectangle and divide into 12 equal squares. Form each square into a tight ball and let balls sit for 20 minutes.
5. After twenty minutes, press a hole in the middle of the ball of dough and form a bagel shape. Let the bagels rest for another ten minutes while you bring a large pot of water to boil.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully place 3 bagels in boiling water and let boil for 2 minutes before flipping to the other side. Allow bagels to boil in water for an additional minute before removing to a plate covered in paper towels. After water has drained slightly, place bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining bagels and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.