Saturday, January 29, 2011

Homemade Bagels


Homemade bagels are a favorite in our house. The secret to a good chewy crust is dipping the raw formed bagels into a pan of simmering water for one minute before baking.

By request, the recipe . . .

Bagels


3.5 cups flour (all purpose or bread. can also use whole wheat)
2 tsp dry yeast (I use instant which is so fine and powdery it does not need dissolving first)
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp sugar or honey
1.25 cups water (more or less as needed to make good, shiny, firm dough)

1. Mix all ingredients to make a moist, shaggy dough and let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Turn dough out onto counter top and knead for 5-10 minutes. Add flour if it's too sticky. Dough should become smooth and shiny.

3. Place dough in a clean greased bowl and let rise for 1 hour

4. Fill a wide shallow pan with about 2-3 inches of water and start heating so that it is good and hot and simmery. If the water is boiling, that's okay too. It's better too hot than not hot enough. Turn oven on 400 degrees so that it is also good and hot and ready for baking.

5. After 1 hour of rising, punch down and cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and shape into bagel shape. The dough is very springy so you might have to really stretch the middle to keep the hole open. Let them rest for 10 minutes on a floured surface.

6. Assemble cooling rack (for draining bagels) beside your pot of simmering water, and a good slotted spoon.

7. Drop 3 or 4 bagels into water (or however many you can fit so they have room to float freely and not stick together) and flip after 30 seconds. Scoop them out after 1 minute and let drain briefly before putting them on a baking sheet (put a dab of oil under each one so they don't stick)

8. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Take them out and let cool. They should be light brown and hollow sounding, crusty and chewy.



Saturday Snapshots is hosted by Alyce @ At Home With Books.

18 comments:

oreneta said...

I have been thinking of making these for YEARS and have a great recipe. Now I am simply going to have to do it. Thanks for the inspiration.

Trish said...

Make sure the water is good and bubbly - somewhere between simmer and boil - and flip them over after 30 seconds. Then take them out and let them drain for a minute before putting them on the baking sheet. Also I put a tiny dab of oil under each one so they pop off the sheet when they are done.

Good luck! Let us know how they turn out :)

Elisabeth said...

They look relish! could you share the recipe?

Elisabeth said...

Oops, that should be delish, but I will relish eating them! my iPad self corrected, incorrectly!

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Oh, yummy! Thanks a lot for making me drool...LOL.

What delicious looking treats....

Here's my snapshot:

MY SNAPSHOT

Trish said...

elisabeth - yup, no problem. I just added the recipe to my post.

laurel - you're welcome ;) these don't last very long in our house . . .

Alyce said...

I thought it was a picture of doughnuts at first, so you can tell where my mind automatically goes - dessert! I like bagels too though, of course. :)

Jess (Gone with the Words) said...

Wow! That's awesome! They look yummy!!

Here's my Saturday Snapshot!

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Those look really yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Have a great day!

Sherrie
Just Books

Bev Hankins said...

Oh those look really good! Yum!

Here's mine: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/01/saturday-snapshot-jan-29.html

Leslie (Under My Apple Tree) said...

I thought they were donuts too! Either way, they look yummy.

Sam (Tiny Library) said...

They look yummy! I love bagels, and they go with practically everything.

I wish I had read Jane Eyre as a teenager too. I do plan on reading it again at some point.

BookQuoter said...

WOW. I am so impressed. Now I know someone who makes bagels from scratch!!!
Thanks for sharing.

oreneta said...

Thanks for the recipe, and the tip about the oil....I've got to find some yeast now, maybe I buy it at the bakers here. It'll be moist cake yeast, which I haven't used before, so that'll add to the excitement!

Trish said...

Thanks everyone for stopping by.

Donuts are something I've never had success making, probably just as well.

And, oreneta, I've only ever seen pictures of cake yeast. I have no idea how to work it. Good luck!

Playing Librarian said...

For many years, my breakfast consists of honeywheat bagel with strawberry cream cheese. Last me the whole morning :)

Sharon said...

These look wonderful!! If I had more patience, I would make them :)

bermudaonion said...

I'm sure those would go over here as well, but I've gotten lazy in the kitchen.