By Tracey
Blueberry Bagels
adapted from Bread by Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno
(Note: this recipe makes very large bagels – I might divide the dough into 10 pieces rather than 8, to yield slightly smaller bagels next time!)
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 110 F)
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup freeze dried blueberries
Directions:
In a large measuring cup, combine the yeast with the sugar and water. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy. Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low, gradually add the yeast mixture (you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to get everything incorporated). Depending on the conditions in your kitchen you may need to add a little more water to bring the dough together. Once the dough comes together, continue kneading on low speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (you may want to do some or all of the kneading by hand, it’s a workout for your mixer). Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead in the blueberries by hand until evenly distributed. Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray then add the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Once risen, gently press the dough down to de-gas, then allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces – I used my scale to weigh the dough and then figure out how big each piece should be, but you can definitely eyeball it. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape it into a ball and then use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle. Gently stretch the dough until the hole is about 2 inches big. Place the bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Cover the baking sheet lightly with plastic and let the bagels rise for about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. When the bagels are ready, lower two or three at a time into the water. Boil for 1 minute then flip to the other side and boil for 1 additional minute. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove the bagels from the pot letting the water drain. Transfer to the second baking sheet you prepared. Continue until you’ve boiled all of the bagels. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow the bagels to cool.
Makes 8 large bagels.
