Adventures in Bagel Making

National Bagel Day is January 15th and this year, I fulfilled a promise to myself to learn how to make bagels in honor of the occasion!

I was spurred into action by a custom order request from Rose, who asked for a flat proofing cover for bagels.  Such a great idea!  I made her a proofing cover and asked for a bagel recipe she liked. She suggested the "Easy Sourdough Bagels" from The Clever Carrot.  I'm a sourdough person so this was a perfect recipe to try.

And you know what, it really was super easy.  Like, I'm not sure why I haven't been making my own bagels for ages. Seriously, don't be intimidated. I would go so far as to say they're even easier to bake than sourdough bread. Yep.

This recipe is fairly hands free.  You do some initial mixing or if you're like me, let your stand mixer with a dough hook do the work. You Let the dough proof overnight and in the morning, divide and shape.  Boiling only takes about 30 seconds per bagel and is the key to getting that chewy unique crust.  You can also do any kind of toppings you want!  Just dunk your boiled bagels into the seasoning of your choice before baking them about 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

I loved how well the flat proofing cover worked for covering the shaped bagels while they rested.  So in honor of National Bagel Day, not only have I eaten 3 bagels toasted with butter but I've also released a new item to the shop- the flat proofing cover.  Instead of covering your rising bagels with plastic wrap, opt for a more colorful (and reusable) option.  The flat covers are similar to our reusable bowl covers in that they use the food-grade PUL liner and a fun, colorful fabric upper.  These covers do not have elastic since they need to lay flat.  Dimensions are 13"x17" and can be machine washed or wiped clean with a damp cloth.

I was so surprised that the bagels worked perfectly!  It was an easy recipe to follow and I never felt intimidated while making them.  And y'all,  I'm a novice baker truly.  So if I can do it, I have every faith that you can as well.  Try making some bagels and let me know how it went!  Need a flat proofing cover to help nix plastic wrap in your baking adventures, here ya go!

 Happy baking!

Ali