Pretzel Bagels
I love bread. All kinds. Sweet, savoury, dense, fluffy...white to the grainiest ancient harvest oat muesli whatever breads... I love bread. Especially, in the morning for or as a part of my breakfast. And one of the popular bread choices for breakfast is? You got it.... the bagel!
Bread or buns with holes in them have been around for centuries. Whether it was for aesthetics or simply convenience, there is no doubt that bagels have a holey appeal, all their own.
A while back I shared a couple bagel recipes with you. Cinnamon raisin, a common favourite with a subtle sweetness, and a savoury, sun-dried tomato and basil version. Delicious!
When thinking of bagel flavour options, it's nice to come up with ideas that aren't easy to find in the stores. One I've never seen (although, I'm sure someone has done them somewhere in the world) is soft pretzel bagels. A nice dark and crisp crust on top with a touch of coarse salt, and a soft white crumb inside. Personally, I like it warm with some sharp cheddar inside. Yummo!
Let's get started!
Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
2 tsp kosher salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
12 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp coarse salt
1 egg white
Method
1. In the (warmed) bowl of a standing mixer, combine the 1/2 cup of warm water and 1/2 tsp of sugar, sprinkle yeast on top and let set for 10 minutes until it looks foamy (If the yeast doesn't foam, it's likely expired).
2. Put the dough hook on your mixer and start running it on lower speed, adding in the water, sugar, salt and flour a bit at a time until it has all been incorporated, increasing speed to medium and allowing it to knead for 2 minutes. Dough should have pulled away from the sides and should hold together well.
3. Turn out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Put dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the dough. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warmer spot away from drafts. Allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Punch down the dough and divide into 8 pieces (this will yield nice large bagels, if you want them smaller, divide into 10 pieces). Form each piece into a ball, push a hole through the middle and mold into a 'bagel' shape.
5. Set on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to rise another 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat oven to 375F. In a large pot, add the 12 cups of water and turn to max to bring to a rolling boil.
6. Once the pot of water has come to a boil, add the baking soda and sugar, a small spoonful at a time. It will foam up an incredible amount for a couple seconds. If you add it all at once, you will have a BIG mess. Once it's all in, let it come back to a boil. Drop in a couple bagels at a time and boil for 2 minutes, flipping halfway through. Place back on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat for remaining bagels.
7. Brush tops and sides of bagels with egg white and sprinkle tops with a pinch of coarse salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until exterior is a deep golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and let cool. Serve.
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