Homemade Bagels

Method

Impress Dad away this Father’s Day with homemade bagels, baked with love. Make a big batch and then you can freeze them for up to 3 months, so you can enjoy anytime! Dad will love them best with smoked salmon, cream cheese, chives, capers and red onion.

  1. To prepare the dough, whisk together the warm water and yeast. For the best results, do this using your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
  2. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the flour, brown sugar, salt into the bowl and beat lightly (or on a low speed) for 2 minutes. The dough should look stiff and almost dry.
  4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough with your hands for 4-5 minutes.
  5. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil.
  6. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 hour 30 minutes – it should double in size.
  7. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
  8. To shape the bagels, remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down to release any air bubbles.
  9. Divide the dough into 8 sections and shape each piece into a ball.
  10. Using your finger, press through the centre of each ball to make a hole. It should be about 2 inches in diameter.
  11. Cover the bagels with a tea towel and allow to rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the egg wash by lightly beating the egg in a bowl with a fork.
  12. Preheat the oven to 200C.
  13. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and whisk in the honey.
  14. Drop the bagels in 2 at a time, making sure they have room to float around. Cook for 1 minute on each side.
  15. Brush the egg wash (or water) on top of each bagel and around the sides. Transfer to a baking tray.
  16. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are dark golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 20 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
  17. You can store baked bagels in the fridge for up to a week and they freeze perfectly for 3 months – allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge then warm to your liking and enjoy!

Ingredients

Prep time: 2 Hours (Including Proving Time)

Cook time: 25 Minutes

Serves: 8

  • 360ml warm water (around 40C)

  • 2 ¾ tsp instant yeast

  • 500g bread flour

  • 1 tbsp granulated brown sugar

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 1 egg (for egg wash) – for a vegan alternative use 1 tbsp of water

  • 60g honey