Bagels were first introduced by Polish-Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century, and quickly became popular. We love this crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside bread. It can be served toasted or not, sweet or savory, and you can really smear just about any spread you like on it. They take a bit of time to make, but they are so worth it!
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups warm water (this may need to be adjusted as needed)
3 ½ cups Swany White flour plus extra for kneading)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Optional:
Caraway seeds, coarse salt, minced fresh garlic, minced fresh onion, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds, cinnamon & sugar for sprinkling.
Directions:
1. In ½ cup of the warm water, pour in the sugar and yeast. Let it sit for five minutes without stirring, and then stir the mixture, until it all dissolves in the water.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt and make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and sugar mixture.
3. Pour 1/3 cup of the remaining warm water into the well and stir in the rest of the water as needed. Depending on where you live, you may need to add anywhere from a couple tablespoons to about ¼ cup of water. You want the dough to be moist and firm after you have mixed it.
4. On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
5. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat.
6. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. The dough should double in size.
7. Punch the dough down, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
8. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape them into a round. Now, take a dough ball, and press it gently against your work surface, moving your hand and the ball in a circular motion pulling the dough into itself until a dough ball forms. Repeat with 7 other dough rounds.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then reduce the heat.
10. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, lower the bagels into the water and boil. The bagels will float to the top, when that happens, let them float for one minute, flip them and boil for another minute. **For a chewier New York style bagel, boil two minutes on each side.
11. If you plan to top your bagels with stuff, do so as you take them out of the water, you will need to use an egg wash to get the toppings to stick before putting the bagels into the oven.
12. Once all the bagels have boiled (and have been topped with your choice of toppings), transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
13. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
14. Cool on wire rack and enjoy!