A classic breakfast bread that can ‘do lunch’ too with the addition of smoked salmon and veggies or other sandwich fixings is on everyone’s favorites list. I ate my first bagel when I was a young adult visiting a nursing conference, and bagels and cream cheese with strawberry jam were served. I still think that’s the best way to eat bagels. While I was eating bagels with cream cheese, a very young Steven was tasting his first chocolate M & M with his grandma, but that’s another story…
Sourdough bagels might sound intimidating but they are super easy and straightforward. The recipe I used is from Little Spoon Farm, one of my favorite sourdough blog siteshttps://littlespoonfarm.com/sourdough-bagels-recipe/
This is an overnight recipe and fits my schedule perfectly. Mix up the dough with active starter. That means you have fed the starter out of the refrigerator about 3 times and it is bubbly and will float if a spoonful is placed in water.
Let ferment on the counter overnight. In the morning you shape the dough and let it rise for about an hour. During this time I turn the oven on (helps with a warmer environment to rise the dough) and start the water boiling.
When the bagels have risen about an hour and are puffy, they are ready to boil. Boil 2 minutes on each side. Flip them over and give them another 2 minutes in the boiling water bath. The small amount of sugar in the water bath will help ensure that shiny, chewy crust.
Then remove from the water bath, dip or sprinkle toppings and bake.
Fresh bagels in almost the same time as waiting in line on a Saturday morning at Noah’s! Same chewy, crunchy texture, pure ingredients from your home kitchen!
Update: I just used the same recipe but substituted the Turkey Red hard red wheat for the bread flour. I added two tablespoons of vital wheat gluten.
Pretty indeed. I bet they are tasty.