Poppy Seed Bagels

Finished bagels!

I didn't realise how few ingredients bagels needed until I started researching recipes for them, there's no excuse not to try them as they're made with things you'll find in any vaguely well stocked baking cupboard.

The hardest thing I found to do was shape the bagels, the first one or two were slightly lumpy but I soon got the hang of it, practice makes perfect, which is the perfect excuse to make these time and time again! It is definitely a recipe I'll be going back to, next I'm thinking cinnamon and raisin bagels, but that's for another time!

Activated yeast

Poppy Seed Bagels

Makes 9

Ingredients:

450g bread flour

4tbsp sugar

2tsp salt

1 sachet dried yeast (7g)

Rough dough

2tbsp milk

2tbsp poppy seed

190oC fan oven/200oC other ovens

Method:

1. In a large bowl add 100ml of warm water to 1tbsp sugar and the sachet of yeast. Leave for 10 minutes to activate the yeast - you'll start to see bubbles appear on the surface of the liquid.

2. Add another 200ml of warm water to the bowl, followed by half the flour and the 2tsp salt. Mix into a dough, and add the rest of the flour in stages until you get a soft, but not sticky dough, you might not need all of the flour.

Smooth, kneaded dough

3. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. (See this previous blog about the best kneading technique.)

4. Once smooth put the dough into an oiled bowl, covered with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size - approx. 1 hour, but don't be afraid to leave it for longer.

5. Turn the doubled dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into thirds and then thirds again to get nine equal portions. Knead each into a smooth circle and then roll between your palms to get a smooth ball.

Making the hole

6. Put a large ban of water onto boil and add the remaining 3tbsp sugar. Bring to a rapid boil.

7. Meanwhile, to make the bagel's characteristic hole press your thumb into the centre of each dough ball, then pick it up, work your other fingers into the space, making the hole bigger by gently pulling the dough outwards and cycling it around between your index fingers. Make the hole approx 3cm across. Repeat for all 9 dough balls.

8. Now your sugary water should be boiling, so add the bagels to the water (do as many in a go as you can fit in the pan without them touching each other or the sides), boil for 1 minute on each side and then remove from the water onto a wire rack with a slotted spoon.

Cycling between your fingers

9. Once you've boiled all of the bagels put the milk in a shallow dish and the poppy seeds in another. One at a time, place a bagel face down in the milk, and then straight into the poppy seeds. Place seeds face-up onto a lightly greased baking tray. Repeat for all of the bagels.

10. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

11. Cool on a wire rack. These will keep for 3-4 days if kept in an airtight container, but they're best enjoyed whilst still warm from the oven with lashings of butter...

Boiling bagels!

The poppy seeds in this recipe are entirely optional; you can have plain bagels instead, simply glaze with a beaten egg before baking, or add any other seeds of your choice, again using milk as glue.

Like I said, I was really impressed with how simple these were, I can't wait to start experimenting with flavour combinations soon!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Finished article!

Being topped

Ready for the oven