The Best Bagels

There is nothing quite like a fresh batch of homemade bagels. Everytime I make them, the crowd goes nuts. Fresh bagels are easy to make and serve for breakfast or brunch. You can enjoy them plain, toasted, or with various toppings including homemade cream cheese, jam, butter or smoked salmon. They also work fantastically as a substitute for sandwhich bread. You can use bagels to elevate your ham and cheese sandwhishes or breakfast sandwhiches with cheese, eggs, and bacon. Bagels can also be made in large batches and frozen for up to 2-3 months.

Servings: 8 Bagels

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Rise Time: 60-90 Minutes

Bake Time: 20-25 Minutes

Total Time: Roughly 2 Hours

Ingredients:

• 360mL Warm Water

• 2 3/4 Tsp Instant yeast

• 520g Bread flour (For best results use bread flour over all-purpose. Bread flour has more gluten proteins and will yield a chewier texture)

• 1 Tbsp Sugar (white or brown)

• 2 Tsp Salt

• 1 Tsp Baking soda (this is reserved for the boiling water when it comes to boiling the prepared dough- don't add this to your dough mixture!)

• 1 Egg (this is used for the egg wash)

• 1Tbsp Melted butter

• Seasoning of choice: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything topping, dried onions etc.

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer, add warmed water (warmed to 110-115F), instant yeast, bread flour, sugar and salt. Knead the dough together on a medium low speed for 7-10 minutes. The dough should not feel sticky at all once mixing is complete. Just keep an eye on your stand mixer whenever you choose to double this recipe. The dough is quite thick and can sometimes cause your maching to feel like its overheating. If that's ever the case, pause the kneading for 5 minutes then resume.

2. Grease a large bowl with melted butter and place kneaded dough inside. I like to place the dough face down and then flip it over so that the whole surface is covered in butter. This just helps prevent any parts of the dough from drying out. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60-90 minutes.

3. Once the rise time is complete and the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down with your fist and roll out to the counter.

4. Preheat your oven to 425F and begin boiling 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Once boiling, add 1 heaping tsp of baking soda to the water.

5. Meanwhile, divide your dough into 8 equal parts. You can eyeball this step or use a scale if you're a perfectionist like me!

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

7. Next, we shape the dough. Begin by cupping your hand around one of your dough pieces (finger tips anchored to the counter and palm lifted off the ground) and roll the dough around to create a ball. Next, puncture a hole through the centre of your dough ball with your thumb. Place your second thumb through the hole as well and begin rolling your thumbs around each other, gently pulling the dough apart to create a fairly large hole in the centre of the dough, being mindful not to snap the dough in half.

8. Once your dough is shaped and the water in your pot is boiled, place 4 bagels in the water at a time making sure not to crowd them. Let them boil for one minute, then flip each of your bagels and boil for one additional minute. You'll notice that your dough begins to puff up- this is due to the baking soda! Once that batch is done boiling, transfer your bagels to the prepared baking tray and begin boiling the second batch.

9. After all your bagels have been boiled, mix your egg wash and brush all the tops of your bagels then top with your chosen seasoning.

10. Place your prepared bagels into the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

11. Once baked, remove from the oven and let them rest for 20 minutes before serving.

12. Store any leftover bagels (room temperature) in a ziplock bag at for 2-3 days. If you are freezing the bagels, be sure to cut down the centre of each bagel before placing them in a freezer safe ziplock and freeze only after they have completely cooled.