Bagels

These little bread rings are delicious teamed with savoury fillings such as smoked salmon and a soft cheese, or egg and salad. The double cooking method gives bagels their unique softness and slightly chewy crust.

Source: Cook Smart for a Healthy Heart, Reader’s Digest Canada

 

Servings Prep Time Cook Time
12bagels 30minutes 20minutes
Servings Prep Time
12bagels 30minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
Servings: bagels
Units:
Ingredients
Servings: bagels
Units:
Instructions
  1. Place the flours in a large mixing bowl and stir in the salt, yeast and caraway seeds. Make a well in the centre.
  2. Lightly whisk 2 eggs with the treacle and oil, and pour into the well in the flour. Add the water and mix to a soft dough.
  3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a damp dish towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
  4. Turn out the dough onto the floured work surface and knead it lightly, then divide it into 12 equal pieces. Form each into a 20 cm long sausage, then shape it into a ring. Dampen the ends with a little water, slightly overlap them and then gently pinch together to seal.
  5. Arrange the bagels on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until they are slightly puffy.
  6. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop the bagels into the water, one at a time, and poach for 20 seconds. Lift them out with a large slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
  7. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush it over the bagels to glaze. Bake for 14–15 minutes or until well risen and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. The bagels can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes

Per bagel: 152 calories, 6 g protein, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 54 mg cholesterol, 25 g total carbohydrate, 1 g sugars, 3 g fibre, 319 mg sodium

Serving the bagels with a vitamin-C rich fruit, or including a vitamin-C rich salad in the bagel filling, will help the body to absorb the iron that the bagels provide.