Bagel Sunday

Method:

In a small bowl, place the yeast and 1 tablespoon of castor sugar. Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water and allow to stand for 10 minutes until frothy.

In a separate medium sized bowl combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and salt.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the frothy yeast mix, start to mix with your hands to bring it all together, you can add more flour if the dough feels too sticky. Turn out on a clean bench and start to knead the dough. You need to do this for 8 - 10 minutes (a good workout) until the dough is smooth and elasticy.  This is my favorite part - the dough feels wonderful!

Oil a bowl (2 tablespoons) and place the dough in the bowl and cover with cling film and a tea-towel and place in a warm area for 20 minutes. (I put mine near the kitchen window where there is sun).

Once the dough has rested and risen, take it out of the bowl on to a clean bench and divide into 12 equal parts (I cut it in half then form a log shape and cut six equal parts).

To form your bagel, form a ball without working the dough too much. Tuck the dough under itself and poke your finger through to make the hole big enough that it will remain once the dough has risen again. They don't need to be perfect - in fact the patterns in the dough make for the crunchy part of the bagel.

Okay now place your bagels on a lined baking tray cover with baking paper and a tea towel and let rise for the second time for 20 minutes only.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. 

Fill a deep pot with water, bring to the boil, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and let dissolve. Then drop your bagels in, flat side down, about four at a time and let them cook for 2 minutes on each side.

Then take out with slotted spoon and place on lined baking tray.

At this point you can add your topping sesame /poppy seed or salt flakes or anything you want. Apparently my great grandmother used to put onion on hers.

Put your boiled bagels in the oven and cook for 25 -35 minutes, they should be golden brown and cooked on the bottom.

Then invite friends over for lunch! This recipes makes 12. They tend to shrivel a bit by the end of the day but don't worry they are amazing toasted.

Enjoy x

In our house when I was growing up we used to have bagel Sunday.

This always meant fresh bagels from Glick's Bakery accompanied by smoked salmon, egg dip and fresh chopped vegies. What is it about bagels that are so good?

Not all bagels are great, there are some really average bagels around Melbourne, the really dense heavy dough that leaves you feeling like you ate rocks.  Bagels need to be light and fluffy and have just the right amount of sweetness.

The trouble with the light fluffy nature of the bagel is you don't really realise when you are full, and they are so mooreish that you always need to have just one more.

I've tried a few recipes online but the best one I've found is from the Monday Morning Cooking club "The Journey Continues"

Bagels are really fun to make, there are hardly any ingredients and besides the waiting time they are quite easy. Bagel dough is lovely to play with, and fresh warm bagels well... I'm not sure there is anything better.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 tablespoons caster sugar

565 grams bread flour plus extra for kneading

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar