Bagels

Hello everyone.  So getting back to the post I have for you all today, is awesome.  Most of you would or might be familiar with bagels, but  I want to let you all know how I made these beauties.  Loved every bit of it, these bagels are super yum.  So here goes...

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:

All purpose flour/maida	1 cup
Whole wheat flour/atta	1 cup
Wheat vital gluten	1 tbsp
Instant yeast	1 1/2 tsp
Warm water	3/4 cup
Salt	1 tsp or as per preference
Sugar	1 tsp

For the topping:

Sesame seeds	1/4 cup
Chilli flakes (optional)	1/8 cup
Salt	1 tbsp
Milk For brushing the bagels	2 tbsp

For water bath:

Water	1 litre
Honey	1 1/2 tbsp

METHOD:
1.       In a bowl take warm water and add in a tsp of sugar.  Stir well to dissolve.  Add in the yeast and stir well again n keep aside to froth.  About 5 minutes or so.
2.       In a bowl of a stand mixer whisk in the flour and salt well. (You could do the kneading by had if u wish or a stand mixer with the dough attachment).  Then slowly add in all of the yeast and water mixture and start kneading on a low speed till all the flour and yeast mixture get incorporated well.  Once that happens increase the speed to medium and knead well for about 8-10 minutes
3.       The dough make look or seem dry, but do not add more liquid.  Transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead again to bring the dough together into a ball.  Grease a bowl with oil and place the dough into it turning it to coat it in oil on all sides.
4.       Loosely cover the dough with a cling wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for about an hour or so.  Dough should look large and puffy.  (will post step by step pictures the next time I bake them again)
5.       Once its ready (after about an hour or hour n a half), transfer on to a clean kitchen surface and knock the dough down lightly.  Shape them into to 6 small balls.  (I got six small balls, it depends on the size you make them).
6.       Once the dough is shaped into balls make a hole in the center by poking your index and middle finger into the shaped ball.  Or you could use a small cutter if you have one to make the hole in the center.  About 1.5-2 inches in diameter.  Cover the shaped bagels with a damp cloth and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper or on a silicon mat.  Heat the water and honey for the water bath.
7.       Once the water comes to a boil, switch the flame to a medium or medium high so as to let the water keep simmering.  Drop in the bagels 2-3 at a time depending on how big or wide your pan is.  As the bagels need space to float around in the pan freely.  While these our getting their water bath, preheat the oven @200⁰C.
8.       Cook the bagels for a minute on each side.  Drain them on a wire rack lined with parchment paper so that they don’t stick to the wire rack.  They will look a little crimpled.  That should be fine.
9.       Brush the bagels with milk and sprinkle them with sesame seeds, chilli flakes and salt.  Or you could mix these in a bowl and dip the milk brushed bagel into it, so that it gets coated evenly.
10.    Bake them in a preheated oven for 15-20 mins so that they get a nice golden brown colour.  Remove the bagels and allow them to cool before you dig into them.
11.   Slice them, warm them up in a micro or simply toast them, enjoy your bagels just the way you like it.

NOTES:

1.       Mine took 15 minutes to bake.  It entirely depends on your oven time.  So pl do keep a watch after 15 minutes.
2.       I got six bagels with this recipe. 
3.       You could add diced dried garlic, poppy seeds, finely chopped onions or dried onions finely chopped and deseeded tomatoes as toppings.  Choice is entirely yours. Though I would like to add that onions to tend to burn off easily so you could go a little low on that if adding.
4.       If doing the whole process by hand do knead the dough for a good 15 minutes.