Gluten Free Bagels -- plant based, whole foods, and delcious

I'm not going to participate in any New York vs Montreal Bagel debate, nor am I going to vouch for the authenticity of these bagels. However, in their defence, I will say this: 1) they taste great 2) they are boiled 3) they are gluten free 4) they are nutritionally powerful, and good for you.

I am neither from New York, nor from Montreal, although I have visited both places. I am a Toronto bagel-babe, through and through. In my misspent childhood, I used to go up to a bagel stores on Bathurst street at six on Sunday mornings with my also-an-early-bird father. I have a keen sense memory of the drive home on a cold winter morning, clutching an oversized, heavy-weight-brown-paper bag of hot-out-of-the-oven bagel goodness, inhaling the sweet and perfect aroma. To me, it's not about New York vs Montreal. It's about the bagels of my childhood. I have no idea which bakery we went to, nor do I know why we went all the way up Lawrence and Bathurst way for them. That being said, they were heaven.


Well, these are nothing like them. They are, however, delicious, spongey, puffy, chewy, full of flavour, and hit that spot inside each of us that is reserved specifically for bagels. And for people who need to avoid gluten for the sake of feeling well, they are pretty damn fabulous.

Today, after boiling, we pressed the tops of the bagels into a place of sesame seeds, and hit them with a wee sprinkle of salt for good measure. How bad can they be, really?

equipment needed:

mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
whisk
kettle or other way of heating water to approx 105 degrees
large pot for boiling bagels
baking sheets and silicone mat or parchment
cooling rack
slotted spoon
oven
scale (for portioning dough -- optional)


ingredients:

A)
2 cups warm water
6 tbsp coconut sugar
4 tsp yeast

B)
2 tbsp xanthan gum
2 tsp himalayan salt

C)
1 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour

D)
2 tbsp baking soda  (If you are a boil in malt or honey person, please don't let me stop you. You do you.)

directions:

1. combine the ingredients from A) and set aside. Make sure the water is not too hot. It should feel like a cozy bath temperature. Too hot will kill your yeast
2. combine the ingredients from B) and C) in a large mixing bowl. I like to use a whisk to make sure they are fully and utterly distributed
3. when you have seen your yeast activate, combine the wet and dry ingredients, and mix well.
4. I like to turn this dough out onto a floured mat, and form into a nice ball, add a little extra oat flour if needed.
5. divide into 12 equal portions (i used a scale for this -- 100 g each, but you can eye-ball it no problem)
6. let rise for about 1 or 1 1/2 hours
7. bring a big pot of water to a boil, adding couple of tbsp of baking soda (D)
8. cook the bagels 4 at a time (or however many can fit uncrowded into your pot) for 2 minutes per side
9. remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and allow to drain a little on a cooling rack
10. once cool enough to handle, pick them up carefully and top end them into a plate of sesame seeds (optional)
11. place on a baking sheet lined with parchment (and sprinkle with salt -- optional)
12. bake at 345 for 35 minutes or until they are done
13. remove from the baking sheet, and cool on a cooling rack