Whole-Wheat Bagel Recipe

I love coming up with tasty recipes for everything from gluten-free goodies to refreshing drinks.

Why Make Your Own If You Can Buy Them?

That's just what I thought many years ago before I got into bread making. My idea of anything to do with bread making was that it’s difficult, time consuming, and not worth the effort.

I’m sure you are still thinking it will make your life so much easier just to buy a packet from the Walmart or Costcutter. Here's the thing ... we are living at a time when we should be concerned about what’s going into our bodies and reducing the amount of chemicals that you struggle to pronounce on the back of a packet from our diet. Making your own is not just a lifestyle choice, its a safer way to eat. You will get so much pleasure from baking these yourself and just think how proud you will feel inviting friends and family to a hot toasted bagel and being able to say with a smile on your face, “Yes, I really did make them myself.”

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 2 cups plain white flour
• 2 cups wholewheat flour
• 2 teaspoons dry yeast

Making Up Your Bagel Dough

1. Put the yeast and sugar into the warm water to activate. Give it a gentle stir to dissolve the sugar. Leave for a few minutes. The yeast is activated when you see foam or bubbles forming on the surface.
2. Add all dry ingredients to a food mixer bowl with dough attachment fitted. Let the machine mix the dry ingredients for about 30 seconds then gently pour your activated yeast mixture Into the dry mix. Allow the mixer to knead the dough until a firm but silky dough is formed. Tip: more warm water may be needed since all flours absorb different amounts. A difference in atmosphere can also affect how much liquid you will need.
3. Leave your dough to rest in the food mixer bowl until doubled in size, around 30 mins to 1 hour.
4. Knead the dough on a floured surface, then divide it into eight equal sized balls. Roll each one into a small ball and with floured fingers make a hole through the middle. You are making them into almost a doughnut, but with not such a big hole. Place the prepared bagels onto a lightly floured surface and let them rise for about 20 mins.
5. Preheat your oven to 425ºF/220ºC/Gas Mark 7. Fill a large pot/pan 1/3 of the way up with water and bring it to the boil. When boiling, slowly drop in the bagels to boil (for a nicer finish place top side facing down in the water first). Let them boil for 2 1/2 mins on one side before flipping them over and boiling for another 2 1/2 mins on the other side. If you want a chewier bagel you can leave to boil a little longer. When boiled take them out and let drain on a cooling rack.
6. Beat an egg in a small bowl, lightly brush over the bagels and sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Transfer them to a baking sheet dusted wth flour and bake in the oven for about 20 mins until golden brown.

© 2017 lemonkerdz