Homemade Salted Bagels

This recipe originally set out to make pretzel bagels. You know, like those delicious pretzel rolls that burger places serve you, but in bagel form. I'm not entirely sure where this recipe stopped being a pretzel and just stayed being a plain bagel, but it happened. I'm not sorry about it either. This was my first attempt at making homemade bagels, and having an east coaster in my house, bagels are a hot commodity. Andrew likes to lightly toast his, spread about an entire container of whipped cream cheese between the 2 slices, place them back together, and the cut the bagel sandwich in half. I, on the other hand, prefer my bagel to be toasted almost to the point of burnt, with just the lightest layer of cream cheese, and keep the 2 halves separate. Now that I type this out, Andrew's sounds much tastier. Whatever way you take your bagels, just try making them at home. While it may be a bit time consuming, it's so much easier than you think! 

Salted Bagels

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast (1 tbsp.)
• 10 cups water
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• kosher salt

Add water, butter, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to bread machine in the order that is instructed. Set on the dough setting (mine takes 90 minutes), and let it do it's thing. Once the dough has formed and risen, take your dough out of the machine and cut the dough into 6-9 even pieces (depending on how big or small you like your bagels. 

Roll each piece out into a 9-inch rope. Wet each end of the rope and form a circle, overlapping the wet ends around each other by about an inch, pressing firmly to seal. The hole in the center should be about the size of a quarter.

Cover the formed dough on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and cover with a damp towel for about 10 minutes to rest and rise slightly.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and then add the baking soda and lower to medium-low heat for a low simmer. After the bagels are done resting, stretch the holes in the center again to be the size of a quarter if they have risen while resting. Boil 3-4 bagels at a time in the water for 30 seconds on each side. The bagels will look slightly wrinkled. Place the boiled bagels onto a wire rack while you finish boiling the rest.

Whisk together the egg and 1 tbsp. water until well combined. Brush over all of the bagels on the baking sheet with the wire rack. Sprinkle the bagels with kosher salt, if desired, and place onto 2 baking sheets with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, rotate the trays and bake for another 10 minutes until the outside forms a nice crust in a deep caramel color. Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes, allowing the inside to keep cooking slightly, forming a chewy interior.

Keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 6 months.