Asiago Bagels
Ingredients:
- Dough:
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4 cups unbleached bread flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- Water Bath:
- 2 quarts (8 cups) water
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- Egg Wash & Asiago Topping:
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon water
- 1/4 lb. Asiago cheese, grated
Instructions:
- Dough:
- Combine the warm water, yeast, and the brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy/bubbly. You can also use instant yeast and skip this step if you'd prefer.
- Add the bread flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. You can do this all by hand, kneading vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough will be fairly stiff (more so than it is for other breads), and it will form a smooth ball after being kneaded. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Mine doubled in size because I put it in the oven heated to 100 degrees F, but the directions say that it does not necessarily need to double in size.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface and split into eight equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth, round ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
- Water Bath:
- While the dough is resting, prepare the water bath by heating the water, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a very gentle boil in a large, wide-diameter pan. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Use your index finger to poke a hole through the center of each dough ball, then twirl the dough around on your finger to stretch the hole until it's about 2 inches in diameter. My bagels ended up being kind of lumpy and sad looking instead of smooth, but it doesn't matter since they are getting covered in cheese. Place each bagel on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Put the bagels, four at a time, into the simmering water. You may have to increase the heat to bring the water to a gentle boil if it is not bubbling at all. Cook the bagels for 2 minutes on one side, gently flip them over, and cook for another minute. Using a skimmer or strainer, remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining bagels.
- Egg Wash & Asiago Topping:
- Combine the egg yolks and water in a small dish. Brush the top of each bagel with the egg wash and top with grated Asiago cheese, pressing lightly to make sure it sticks. Bake bagels for 20 to 25 minutes at 425 until they are as deep a brown as you like. Remove the bagels from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.