Vegan Bagels

 Although these seem like a lot of effort - they are! - it's really worth it! There is nothing better than a freshly made bagel for breakfast or lunch. It also looks really impressive so I would make them to show them off. I topped mine with chopped shallots, 'cheese' spread from Woolworths, some seasoned salt, pepper, and chives. It's a really nice dish to make because if you have meat eaters around they can put whatever on their bagel, yet for you, it's still vegan! I got this recipe from Sweet Simple Vegan.

Ingredients:

- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) warm water + 1/4 cup (60ml) extra
- 3 1/2 cups (500g) bread flour + more for kneadings
- 1 1/2 tsp salt

Topping ideas:

- Sesame seeds
- Nutritional yeast
- Poppy seeds
- Course salt
- Dehydrated chives, garlic or onion

Method:

1. Pour the yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water, DO NOT STIR. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, then create a well in the center where you will add the sugar and yeast mixture.
3. Pour 1/3 cup (90ml) of the remaining warm water into the well. Add more water as needed, a tablespoon at a time. (I ended up using around 70ml extra)
4. Flour the countertop or a large board, and knead the dough for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Try work in as much flour as possible, until it forms a firm and stiff dough.
5. Wet the inside of a large clean non-metal bowl with water, put the dough in it, then coat the dough until the outside is moist.
6. Cover with cling wrap and then a damp dishcloth. Allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until it is double in size. Once risen, punch the dough down and set it aside for 10 minutes.
7. Roughly divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape each dough by creating a ball shape and then pushing a hole through the center. I'd suggest dipping your finger in flour before pushing it through the dough so it does not stick. Stretch the ring so that it is around 1/3 of the diameter of the bagel.
8. Place them on a lined baking sheet with either a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, then cover with a damp dishcloth and set aside for 10 minutes.
9. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celcius. Bring a pot of water to the boil, once boiled bring down to medium heat. Use a slotted spoon to place the bagels in, I put in around 4 at a time. Once they rise to the top let the bagels boil for 2 minutes on each side.
10. Once boiled, place them on a baking tray and add the toppings onto the wet surface.
11. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
12. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. They can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days.