I can say with 99% certainty I will only be eating store bought bagels for the rest of my life. Making them from scratch was a nice bucket list item that I can now check off and turn my back on forever.
I was led to believe this process would be simple. Ahem, I’m looking at you kid.
Sure, they may look half-way decent, but that’s because I’m showing you the good one. The show pony. The swan among the batch of ugly ducklings.
In total I wound up with two semi-decent bagels and six misshapen bitelettes.
They tasted good. So they have that going for them. Anyway.
In my opinion (not that you asked for it), if you want fresh, soft, doughy bagels, save your time and energy, hit up your local bakery, and fork over the cash. This little project took up half my morning, but I learned a few things along the way.
1. Hot water is not warm water. If you add your active yeast to boiling water you will kill it. I waited 10 minutes before giving up on the above “proofing”. My second attempt was successful. See?
Frothy, foaming yeast reporting for duty.
2. Not all gluten free flours are created equal. I’m still trying to find the perfect ratio. I’ve only ever had success with fava bean and chickpea flour but since I’m trying to make the recipe no FODMAPs (and beans are galactans and thus have FODMAPs), I’m trying different GF flour blends. This was my first stab at sorghum. I have quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice and amaranth in my sights too. In the meantime, my experiments are at least allowing me to feel out the weight and density of each flour. These were both really light ones, so in the future I think I need a heavier grain to balance them out (not that I plan on making bagels again…).
3. You can get a LOT done while waiting for dough to rise. I mean, a LOT.
I made breakfast.
I made Angela’s butternut squash cheese sauce.
I did a crossword.
I made quinoa.
I made a second batch of Angela’s sauce.
And finally it was time to make bagels.
All rise!
Divide and conquer roll.
Boil and trouble.
Line ‘em up.
Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Bites
[vegan, gluten free, FODMAPs free, yield TBD]
Ingredients:
- 1 c sorghum flour
- 1 c oat flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/2 tsp yeast
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raisins
Directions:
Combine warm water, sugar and yeast packet. Let the yeast “proof” and in the meantime combine the rest of the powder ingredients (flours, salt, gum, cinnamon). Sift the dry mix until everything is well combined. Once the water has a foamy film on top, add it to the flour. Stir it up then knead the dough for a few minutes [you could use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this if you don’t want an arm workout]. Add in the raisins last and re-mix so that they are well integrated. I added extra cinnamon at this point too. Never can have too much cinnamon.
Cover the dough with a wet towel and let it be for an hour.
After an hour it will have risen quite a bit. Divide your dough into four parts (or however many you are planning on making) and roll into bagel shape.
Add to boiling water. Wait for them to float up to the surface then remove with a slotted spatula and place on baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake on 400 for 20 minutes.
Maybe you’ll have more luck that I?
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
HAHA! I’m so sorry you didn’t find the ease in it, but you have to admit they were delicious – right?!?!?
yes! thats the light at the end of the tunnel. theyre freakin delish. and the aprt smelled like yummy cinnamon raisin all day!
Bummer! I have tried to make bagels in the past too.. but they never came out quite right- and were really disappointing after spending all that time waiting for them.. I have made some pretty amazing english muffins though.. WAY easier!
So I have just stepped into the bread and pizza dough making arena (about a month ago) and these have been my first experiences with yeast. However, after reading through Chelsey’s recipe I think I can see two areas you could tweak in your method. First, she mixed her’s with a dough hook for 3-4 minutes, that equals at least 8 minutes of kneading by hand, but I’d probably knead it for at least 10 minutes by hand. Second I imagine the dough needs to double in size? Dough rises at different rates depending on temperature and humidity. I gather 70 degrees with moderate humidity is ideal. So when I let dough rise in my kitchen it takes 2-3 hours… mostly because I live in Chicago and it’s December. It’s more important to know how much you want the dough to rise than how long. Bagels are also on my bucket list of things to make, now that I’m starting to understand yeast… so maybe I’ll have a go at this this weekend…
thanks so much emily! i think youre right. the dough did seem to double in size, but i dont think i kneaded it enough at all. im in los angeles, so the weather is definitely not chicago weather.
let me know how yours turns out!
I know this recipe is gluten free, but for those who aren’t, the basic bagel recipe in the old standard “Better Homes & Gardens” plaid cookbook is probably the best ever. So is their pretzel recipe.
I’ve put the word out to a friend who is also gluten free to see if she has some ideas to pass along.
noted. thank you!!
I’ve been scouring the web for gluten free bread recipes. I might use this but turn it into a savory bagel.
nice bagels. =)
i will however try that butternut squash cheese sauce since i baked some last night,
This is really random and one of those “I heard it somewhere” things but I heard that too much cinnamon actually can de-activate yeast in the baking stages? It’s probably not true but it’s what has me afraid to make homemade cinnamon rolls which are on my baking bucket list… I am afraid I’ll waste all that time?!?! Maybe someday I will get brave…
hmmm..who knew?!? you could be right…obviously i didnt do much research before embarking on this endeavor!
No way! You mean everything you make doesn’t always turn out wonderful?!?! Not you, Elise, the cooking and baking genius. I just don’t believe it. Those must have been Kyle’s attemt at making bagels and you’re just taking the blame for them not coming out perfect. It’s cool. I want give away your little secret (wink wink).
Seriously, though. Bagel making has not been an area I’ve gotten the nerve to tackle yet and after seeing this post, I think I may hold off for awhile. My bakery makes delightful gluten-free bagels and I think I’ll continue forking over insane amounts of moolah for theirs.
I have a feeling we should just add that to the list of “things that just aren’t worth it”?
yup.
Haha bagels is something I definitely haven’t tried making yet and don’t really intend to. I’ve got my sights set on some Udi’s bagels I saw in Whole Foods
Bummer dude, but hey, at least they tasted good, right? Imagine how disappointing if they were ugly AND disgusting? Double fail, so don’t feel too bad!
Man some of the stuff that comes out of my kitchen is so BAD… good thing I have a dog + son who ain’t fussy on looks
Bagels are tricky to make! That’s why there’s battles between bagel shops on every coast about whose is the best. Don’t feel bad!
I don’t ever wanna bake bagels because it’s not like a cookie or brownie where there isn’t specific characteristics it must meet in order to be a “good” bagel. So I always buy them as a treat.
I am generally not a fan of baking, but particularly items that involve yeast. I had a particularly stressful experience in making soft pretzels once, and I never recovered. Having to bake bread for my experimental foods classes helped a bit, but there are some things that are just easier and tastier to buy!
Haha! Well, at least they tasted good.
Bagels are one of those things that I dream of making while drooling over others’ gorgeous photos and perfect recipes. But, deep down, I know I’d wind up in the EXACT same boat as you. I’ll stick to the store-bought variety…
Unless, of course, one of those successful bagel-makers would like to send me a homemade batch. (:
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