I am just now getting around to making my New Year’s Resolutions. One of them is to eat healthier. I am sorry I am just now starting off the year on sophistimom. If I’m not mistaken, it’s February 1st.

On that note, I just want to thank you all for being so patient with me.  I know I have been gone for awhile, but I have not stopped thinking about my readers, and I have not stopped thinking about the blog.  Life has just been crazy.

Speaking of crazy things, I have recently moved into a basement apartment, and sadly, it has no natural light.  None at all.  And so for these bagels, I took some instructional pictures, but they kind of stink.  White balance on even the nicest of cameras, surely cannot make up for fluorescent light.  I want to cry.  So, after today, I think I will be skipping the instructional pictures unless I make the food at a friend’s house.  I live in Utah, so if there are any volunteers . . .

Okay, down to business.  Homemade bagels are delicious, and worth every second it takes to prepare them. White bagels would have been good, but my bloggie friend Kamran at the sophisticated gourmet made some awhile back.  When I make white bagels, I like to refer to his recipe.  They’re amazing.

Though I am a sucker for white bread, I am trying to be healthy right now, and that’s why I made these.  My kids prefer white bread too, but let me tell you, trying to wrangle that one in the picture out of the house so I could photograph it at my friend’s house was nearly impossible.  My kids kept begging me for more.  So if you want to get your kids to eat healthier, you may want to try these.

If you read the instructions, and are thinking, “Oh, I’ll just throw that in my Kitchenaid,”  I would strongly recommend against it.  I have done that a few times, only to burn out my engine, praying the whole time my mixer would still love me afterward (Don’t worry, it did, but I just don’t like to put it through that kind of torture anymore).   The reason is that a bagel is made from a very dry dough, and the key is to work as much flour as you can into it.

Gluten flour can be bought at a health food store, or in the baking aisle of a good grocery store.  Though a whole wheat still has gluten in it, the percentage of it is much lower than in a white flour (That is why a lot of recipes say to mix half white with half wheat).  Apparently, freshly ground whole wheat flour doesn’t require as much gluten as the whole wheat flour you buy in a bag.  This recipe was made from whole wheat from a bag.  If you will be grinding your own wheat for this, I will be totally jealous.  But if you are, you would probably only need 4 tablespoons of gluten or so.

whole wheat bagels

1 1/2 cups warm (110 degrees) water
1 tablespoon active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
5 cups (700g) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (75g) gluten flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling and egg wash
1 egg, beaten

1.  Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit for five minutes until bubbly.  If it does not get bubbly, go back to the store and buy some new yeast.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, gluten, and salt.  Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and water mixture.  Stir with a wooden spoon until it begins to come together.   Turn the contents of the bowl onto a board, and knead by hand, incorporating all flour into the dough.  Continue kneading until the dough is stiff and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.

3.  Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.  Punch down dough to distribute air bubbles, and allow to rise for 30 minutes more.

4.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  While it comes to a boil, divide the dough into 12 equal portions.  Form each portion into a disk by pulling the dough into a center point, and then flattening.  Make a hole in the centers with fingers, and allow to rest.

5.  Preheat oven to 425 (220 Celsius) degrees.  When the water is boiling, add about a tablespoon of kosher salt into the pot.  Carefully place 4 bagels into the boiling water, smooth side up.  Allow to boil for 2 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, flip the bagels over and boil for another 2 minutes.  Remove from pot and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Repeat with remaining bagels.

6.  Place the beaten egg in a small shallow bowl, and when the bagels are cool enough to touch, dip the tops in the egg wash.  Return bagels to the baking sheet.  Bake bagels for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown.