Sunday Baking Project - Poppyseed Bagels

I'm not a great breakfast eater, of all meals, breakfast is my downfall.  For years I used to eat breakfast when I got to work, picking up a poppyseed bagel, toasted with butter and vegemite.  without.fail.  I never ever got sick of them.

Now I'm at home, and mornings are a routine of 3 frills awaiting their breakfast - two courses of either toast/pancakes/crumpets with fruit and then cereal - I'm lucky if I get time to cook and eat whilst hot the one piece of toast I shove in to my mouth.

The cost of bagels too is pretty astonishing.  For decent bagels, I'm looking at a cost of two loaves of multigrain bread.  I just can't seem to justify it to myself.

So when I saw the lovely Rachel Allen make bagels with her cooking school on Lifestyle food I clapped my hands with glee.  Total glee.  I knew I would make these at least once.  It does look like a bother, but the texture, taste and cost-effectiveness makes it SO worth it.  Indeed, I will be making these again, and hopefully be giving myself a better breakfast going forward!

Ingredients:
Dough
3 1/2 cups plain flour
7g dry yeast
250g warm water
2 tb honey
1 tb vegetable oil

To poach
1 1/2 tb treacle
2 litres water

To bake
1/4 cup semolina
1 egg
1/4 cup poppyseeds

Method:

Sift your flour into a mixing bowl with your yeast, stir to combine well.

In a jug, add warm water (tepid), honey and oil - stir until combined.

Stiring constantly, add the jug of water, honey and oil slowly until you reach a wet dough, knead by hand or in a mixer with a dough hook for 10 minutes.  If your dough is sticky, add more flour, if crumbly and dry add a little water.

You should end up with a pliable dough at the end.  if sticky, roll out onto a floured surface, if fine roll out onto a smooth surface.

Stretch out the dough and hand-knead for a further 10 minutes.

Place into an oiled bowl and sprinkle with oil atop.  massage oil over surface of all the dough, then cover bowl with cling film and leave in a warm, draught-free area to prove until it doubles in size (anywhere from 1-3 hours - mine only took 1)

When proved, preheat oven to 220degrees c.
Pour 2 litres of water and the treacle in a high-rimmed frypan. Bring to boil, reduce heat
Grease 2 baking trays and scatter with semolina.

Re-knead your dough again and punch out all the air.  roll into a sausage shape and divide into 7-8 pieces (I did 6 regular size, and 2 smaller size for the kids)

To make your bagel shape, take one of the pieces of dough, and mould it into a round disk. Pat it flat and then poke a hole with your finger in the middle. Make the hole about twice the size of what you intend it to be in the end, as it will rise/puff up in the poaching process.

Layout on your semolina tray

Heat up your water so it's at a low simmer.  Put your bagels in 2 or 3 at a time.  Poach on each side for 1 1/2 minutes each side, then return to your semolina tray.

Brush with 1 whisked egg and sprinkle with poppyseeds (1 side only) pop in the oven for about 10 minutes and then turn bagels over for another 10 minutes.

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