Onion and Poppy Seed Bagels

When I decide to start experimenting with making bread without my bread machine, do I start with something nice and uncomplex? No, of course not!

My husband and I love bagels, but around here we can rarely find the one's we like (studded with poppy seeds and caramelized onions). So I decided to try my hand at making them.


Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 oz package active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 4 TB butter
• 2 TB superfine sugar
• 1 egg, the yolk separated from the white, and the yolk beat with 1 tsp cold water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Poppy seeds
• 1 onion, caramelized

Directions:

• Bring the milk to a boil in the microwave (I set mine on the beverage setting x 2).
• Add the butter and the sugar and whisk together until the sugar dissolves.
• Cool mixture until tepid (I put mine in the freezer for 5 minutes)

• Mix in the yeast, and leave for about 10 minutes, or until frothy.

• Beat the egg white and the salt into the yeast solution.
• Pour yeast mixture into a large bowl, and one cup at a time, combine the flour and the yeast mixture.

• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough for 15 minutes.

• Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled plastic bag.
• I only had quart sized bags, so I divided my dough into 4 balls.
• Leave it in a warm place for one hour, or until it has doubled in bulk.

• Set 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pan and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  
• When the dough is done rising, divide into 16 even pieces, and roll into balls.
• Flour your index fingers, and press both into the center of each ball and gently pull in opposite directions, forming a hole in the center.

• Drop each bagel into the boiling water (Mine fit 4 at a time) and poach for 15 seconds on each side--I didn't get any photos of this part, because my lens kept steaming up!
• Remove bagels onto a greased cookie sheet.
• Whisk the teaspoon of water into the reserved egg yolk, and using a pastry brush, coat each bagel.
  

• Sprinkle over poppy seeds.

• Sprinkle over caramelized onions (I used 2 TB of butter and 1 onion diced small, cooked quickly on medium high heat until golden brown).

• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

What I listened to while I baked:

Jewelled Antler Box Set

Track 11: Cutting durmast was particularly nice to knead the dough to!