Bagels recipe

Making your own bagels isn't as hard as you might think. These simple bagels can be topped with poppy or sesame seeds before baking for extra crunch

Ingredients

• 600g (1lb 5oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp dried yeast
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Method

1. Put the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Mix the yeast in 300ml (10fl oz) warm water. Add the oil and pour the liquid into the flour mixture, stirring together to form a soft dough.
2. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover loosely with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours until doubled.
3. Transfer to a floured surface, push it back to its original size, and divide into 8–10 pieces. Take each piece of dough and roll it under your palm to make a fat log shape. Using your palms, continue to roll it towards each end, until it is about 25cm (10in) long. Take the dough and wrap it around your knuckles, so the join is underneath your palm. Squeeze gently, then roll briefly to seal the join. The hole should still be big at this stage.
4. Transfer to 2 baking trays lined with baking parchment. Repeat to shape all the bagels. Cover with cling film and a tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled.
5. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7, and set a large pan of water to boil. Poach the bagels in gently simmering water for 1 minute on either side. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon. Dry them briefly on a clean tea towel.
6. Return the bagels to the baking trays and brush them with a little beaten egg.
7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 mins until golden. Cool for 5 mins ona wire rack before serving. Store: Best the day they are made, but still taste good toasted the next day.