I don't particularly like bagels from the grocery store or from the various fast food outlets. They are dense and gummy, fills the void but nothing else. My first introduction to bagels was back in the 80's at a little bakery on the west side of Edmonton called the Bagel Bin. These bagels were freshly baked daily right in the bakery.  Oh those were the days my friend. Sadly, little mom and pop bakeries such as the Bagel Bin are very few and far between. I probably would have to go to New York or Montreal to get a good bagel now. 

So I went on a little quest and I think I found a winner from Sally's Baking Addiction.  These bagels are a little crispy on the outside but very tender and chewy on the inside. What I love about this recipe is that you have the option of making the bagels on the same day or you can make the dough the night before and then store it away in the fridge overnight. Then, in the morning you have fresh bagels for breakfast. Toppings and flavours are endless. My favourite bagels are "everything" and jalapeno cheddar. 

One recipe yields 8 bagels. These bagels freeze well.

Bagels

8 bagels

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)

• 2  3/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast

• 4 cups bread flour 

• 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar 

• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt

 2 teaspoons olive oil to coat bowl

• egg wash: 1 egg white beaten with 1 Tablespoon water

For Boiling

4 liters water
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions for Bagel Dough:

•  Whisk the warm water, brown sugar and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

• Add the flour and salt. Beat on low speed for about 7-8 minutes. The dough will be a little stiff at first but will soften up. 

• If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough  to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. 

• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

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• If you want to make the dough the evening prior, place the bowl in the fridge overnight. The next morning take the dough out of the fridge and allow the dough to warm up on the counter for 30-60 minutes prior to forming into bagels.

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• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

• Shape the bagels:

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•  When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball. Press your index finger through the center of each ball to make a hole about 1.5 – 2 inches in diameter. Loosely cover the shaped bagels with a kitchen towel and rest for a few minutes while you prepare the water bath.

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• Preheat the oven to 425°F 

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• Water bath: 

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• Fill a large, wide pot with 4 liters of water. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Add honey and baking soda to the water.  Drop bagels in, 4 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side. Place on baking sheets. 

• Brush the tops and sides of the boiled bagels with egg wash. 

• At this point you can sprinkle the bagels with a little Everything spice, poppy seeds, sesame seeds or whatever floats your boat. 

• Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

•  Remove from the oven and allow bagels to cool on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Jalapeno Cheddar bagels

Once the dough has been completely kneaded in the stand mixer,  add ½ cup diced cheddar cheese and 2 diced jalapenos to the dough, mix until combined.

Follow instructions up to putting egg wash onto bagels and bake for 10 minutes. Then remove the bagels from the oven and top with 2-2 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese and three slices of jalapenos per bagel. Then continue baking for the remainder of the time. This way the toppings won’t be too over cooked. 

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