blueberry bagel

 

Ingredients

• 185g (1 1/4 cups) fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
• 135g (1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon) lukewarm water (plus more as needed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar 
• 440g (3 1/2 cups) bread flour, plus extra for dusting 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt 

POACHING

• 2 litres water
• 1 Tbsp honey or brown sugar

Instructions

1. Cooking the blueberries – This pre-cooking step is optional, but it intensifies the color of the bagels. If skipping it, start the recipe at step 2, and add whole blueberries (fresh or thawed) in step 3. In a small saucepan over low heat, add the blueberries. Let the berries heat up on low heat, stirring occasionally and pressing them down until they become super juicy. Don't let the liquid reduce. Take it off the heat and let it cool down.
2. Combine water, yeast, and sugar and stir in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, if using instant yeast this step can be skipped.
3. Add in the flour, salt, blueberries, and vanilla. Use a fork or switch the stand mixer to low speed to combine it into a thick dough. It should be very thick and slightly sticky. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water as needed.
4. Keep it kneading or mixing for around 10 minutes for optimal gluten development. 
5. Form the dough into a ball once it is kneaded and strong. Place the dough ball into a large oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
6. Deflate the dough and pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
7. Cut the dough into eight equal pieces (a kitchen scale works well to ensure even bagels) and shape each piece into a ball. Let these dough balls rest for 5 minutes.
8. Use both hands’ thumb and index finger to push a hole into the center of each ball of dough, then roll the dough ball around your fingers in a circular motion to widen the hole. Aim for a large hole, as it will shrink back in size once it sits.
9. Place the shaped bagels on a prepared sheet pan lined with parchment paper and let them puff out a bit for around 30 minutes while the oven preheats and a pot of water is brought to a boil.
10. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 425°F/220 °C. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. The combination of the sweetness in the bagels and the hot oven can make the bottom of the bagels quite dark. I line my pan with a silicone mat to add a layer of insulation. Using a light coloured pan can also help avoid this - or placing another baking pan underneath the one holding the bagels.
11. Once the water is boiling, stir in honey or brown sugar.
12. Dust any excess flour off the bagels and drop them in the boiling water one at a time. Boil 2-3 bagels at a time.
13. Let them poach in the water for 1 minute total, flipping them after 30 seconds. Remove the bagels from the water using a slotted spoon. Drain the boiled bagels on a wire rack and continue with the rest of the bagels.
14. Place the bagels on the lined baking sheet. 
15. Bake them in the oven for around 20 minutes or until golden brown. If they are baking unevenly or your oven has hot spots, turn the oven tray around after 15 minutes of baking.
16. Remove the baked bagels from the tray and let them cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.