Seeded Sourdough Bagels using a Levain
What is the difference between bagels and bread rolls? Generally texture and of course the method. Here we have an overnight rise after making the dough, in the morning bagels for breakfast. It is pretty simple and I am sure you can do it. You can totally leave the seeds off and go with any of the several options listed below.
As the crust is set from the boiling process, bagels don't rise as much as other bread once baked in the oven, giving bagels their dense and chewy interior. A longer boil produces a thicker crust and very dense interior, while a shorter boil produces a thinner crust and softer interior. What I like about the 2 minute boil is the shape ends up being near perfect. If you boil a shorter period of time the dough inside the bagel can still somehow decide to come alive and push out through the weakest part of the dough during baking giving you a wonky result.
What's your fave topping?
Avocado, ham and cheese
Cream cheese, red onions, capers and smoked salmon (with a squeeze of lemon)
Bacon and eggs
Cheese toastie of any description
Raspberry Jam...(potentially also with cream cheese)
Loads of butter while they're still warm from the oven
Banana and honey
There is no end to what you can eat on top of a bagel. It has a very stable base so can be loaded up. Enjoy!
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Need
-
The Bagel Dough
- 100 Grams Levain nice and bubbly ready to use Recipe
- 250 Grams filtered water
- 2 Tablespoons raw caster sugar BUY
- 2 Teaspoons Fine grind salt
- 500 Grams bakers or strong flour
-
The Rest
- 2-3 Litres water in a large saucepan
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Pinches pink salt flakes plus more as needed BUY
- A small bowlful of mixed seeds of choice; linseed, sesame, sunflower and pepitas were what we used
Do
- 1
For this recipe I make a levain in the morning and let it activate all day. No need to fuss. Just make and get on with your life.
- 2
I then make the dough in the evening using the active levain.
- 3
Place all dough ingredients into the Thermomix bowl and knead 3 min/Interval/dough setting.
- 4
Tip out dough into a large bowl, cover and leave overnight or 12 hours. You will have a taut firm dough but it will clearly have risen.
- 5
Line a baking tray with paper.
- 6
Use a Silpat mat for the shaping of the dough. Form the bagels by dividing the dough into 8 pieces approx 110g each. Roll into balls and flatten slightly. Push your finger through the centre of each dough ball and form the bagel by kneading the dough into a ring shape. If you don't have enough space in the centre you will end up with a weird shaped bun, so make sure the hole is visible. Place each bagel onto the prepared tray, cover and allow to rise again for at least an hour until slightly risen and smooth.
- 7
Preheat the oven to 220°C on a bread baking setting or conventional oven.
- 8
Bring a large pot of water to the boil with the sugar and plenty of salt.
- 9
Drop a couple of bagels at a time into the boiling water and set a timer, they need to boil for at least 2 minutes if not a bit longer. Remove with a slotted spoon or strainer and return with the smoothest side up onto the lined tray.
- 10
When they are cool enough to handle, dip the top side into the seed bowl. Return to the tray seed side up.
- 11
Bake 25 minutes until dark brown.
- 12
Serve with any toppings of your choice.
- 13
These freeze really well. Freeze in serving sizes in freezer bags, thaw and reheat briefly before serving as though fresh. You can of course toast these, though the seeds tend to get a bit overdone.
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Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of eight, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
