Best [Vegan] Bagels Ever!

Recipe Best Vegan Bagels

OK, if that sounds like I'm tooting my own horn... well, I guess I am! Ever since my family and I tasted the heavenly bagels offered at Big Apple Bagels in Petoskey, MI, I've been trying to reproduce their signature jalapeno bagels. I know that I can just as easily go down to any number of bagel shops and grab a fresh bagel, but I like knowing what goes into my food. The only way to know exactly what you're eating is to make it yourself. There is nothing difficult about the process, but it is a bit time consuming. Your friends and family will love the results.

Makes 1 dozen bagels.

In this example, I cut the base dough in half and made 6 onion bagels and 6 jalapeno bagels. Feel free to create your own, using family favorites or creating plain bagels and dressing up some Tofutti Cream Cheese with strawberries, green onions, or....??

Best Vegan Bagels...Ever!

Shopping / Ingredient List:

Water
Yeast
Sea salt
Sugar
Bread Flour
Agave Nectar
Your choice of flavoring - onion, jalapeno, garlic, poppy seed, cinnamon/raisin, apple/cinnamon, etc.

Recipe / Directions:

Chop any vegetables or fruits you plan to add to the dough, so that you have approximately 1 cup total. (In my example, I chopped 3 jalapeno peppers for one half of the dough and 1 small onion for the other half.) You don't need to be exact, the 1 cup measurement is simply a guideline. Set chopped veggies aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together:
2 cups warm (not hot) water
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar (or 1 tsp agave nectar)
5 cups bread flour

Mix thoroughly until you are able to form a ball, then place on lightly floured counter-top and split according to your choice of flavors (in my example, I cut it in half). Take the first portion and knead it together with your first flavors until it is smooth (about 5-10 minutes) set it aside. Do the same for the other portions. Let your balls of dough set for about 15 minutes.

After rolling the dough into a cigar shape, smooth the join
to make a seamless circle.

Form the bagels. Cut the dough into equal pieces (recipe should total 12 bagels). Roll into cigar-shaped rolls, then join the ends together into a circle. Try to seal the seam by smoothing the dough or pinching it with your fingers to insure a smooth join. (see photo) Lay bagels on lightly sprayed or non-stick cooking sheet. After you've rolled out all 12 bagels, lightly cover with a tea towel or wax paper. Let it sit for 1 to 1 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

Bagel Bath. In order to get that true bagel consistency, you have to boil the bagels before you bake them. In a large pot, add:
1 gallon of water
Bring water to a boil, then add:
3/4 cup of agave nectar**
Bring to boil, then begin dropping bagels into the water (carefully) 3 at a time. Bagel is done when it floats to the top (about 1 minute).
Lay bagels back on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with salt or poppy seeds or add chopped veggies (like the onion bagels in the photo below) for that finished look.

Fresh, delicious bagels. Serve warm. Freeze some for later.
Make bagel pizzas... you know what to do!

**Notes on this step: The sugar in the agave nectar is not for taste (you probably won't even notice the flavor), but for the consistency of the bagel. This is what gives it that smooth outer crust and chewy inside. You can use sugar or honey instead, it should work as well as the agave. Also, you'll cut down on splashes or accidentally breaking the join if you lower each bagel into the water using a slotted spoon or spatula.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 475 degrees. Bagels are done when golden brown on the outside.