You know what I love about lazy Sunday afternoons?
The fact that you can stay in your pj’s all day.
The fact that you can read or sleep or take a walk whenever you please.
The fact that there’s nothing on the to-do list except to “make a batch of whole wheat bagels.”
Okay. If we’re being completely, 100% honest here, mom did most of the bagel work.
I really did, however, stay in my pj’s all day. And I really did read and sleep and walk whenever I so pleased.
That’s what I love about a lazy Sunday afternoon.
(p.s. I promised Mom that I would help her taste test. It’s tough work, but somebody has to do it.)
The bagels were beyond delicious. And that’s the honest truth.
Whole Wheat Bagels–adapted from the original “Bernard Clayton’s Book of Breads” homemade bagel recipe, as seen on this website.
We made several variations in this recipe. Cinnamon raisin, in which some of the dough was mixed with cinnamon and raisins before being dunked in the boiling water. And poppyseed studded bagels. My personal favorite, however, were the onion bagels. They’re amazing and would make the perfect egg sandwich.
These are fun to make. Even funner to eat. I hope that you find yourself with some lazy Sunday afternoon so that you can stay home in your pj’s, do as you please, and have nothing on your to-do list but to “make a batch of bagels.” Enjoy!
(p.s. Don’t let this long list of instructions scare you…bagels are quite simple to make and they’re not overly fussy.)
- 3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 packages dry yeast
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cups hot water
- 3 quarts water
- 1-1/2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 egg white, beaten, mixed with 1 tsp water
- Toppings of choice (raisins, poppyseed, garlic powder, dried onion flakes, etc.)
- Sprinkle a baking sheet with ground cornmeal.
- Into a mixing bowl, measure 3 cups whole wheat flour and stir in the dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Add the balance of the flour, a small portion at a time; stir by hand. When the batter gets thick and heavy, lift from the bowl and place on the floured work surface.
- Knead for 10 minutes, adding flour if the dough is too sticky. Dough should be firm and solid when pinched with the fingers.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in volume, about 1 hr. During this period, bring the 3 qts of water to a boil in the large saucepan. Add sugar. Reduce heat and leave at a simmer.
- Turn dough onto a flour-dusted work surface and punch down with extended fingers. Divide dough into 17 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Allow to relax for a few minutes before flattening with the palm of your hand. With your thumb, press deep into the ceter of the bagel and tear the depression open with your fingers. Place the bagels together on the work surface.
- Cover the bagels with wax paper and leave at room temp only until the dough is slightly raised, about 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400.
- The water should be simmering. Gently lift one bagel at a time with a large skimmer and lower into the hot water, 2 or 3 at a time. Simmer for 1 minute, turning once. Lift out with the skimmer (or tongs), drain briefly on a towel, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all bagels.
- Brush bagels lightly with the egg white-water glaze and sprinkle with favorite toppings.
- Place bagels on the baking sheet and bake on the middle oven shelf for 25-30 minutes. When bagels are lightly brown, turn them over to complete baking. Remove from oven when shiny and brown.
- Place on metal rack to cool.
Question: What do you usually do on a lazy Sunday afternoon?
Running To Slow Things Down 