Cinnamon-Raisin Bagels

I love cream cheese. I love it even more on a toasted bagel! I've had bagels that were dense and bland. But a cinnamon-raisin bagel, now that's tasty! And a homemade one is even better! The process of making these bagels is fairly easy. I can't believe I felt so intimidated before!

(1) First, you mix and knead all the ingredients together, like you would for any yeast bread recipe. I use my KitchenAid but you can easily knead this dough by hand, just flour your hands so the dough doesn't stick too much. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about one hour. Mine ended up rising for two hours because I had to step out. Oops, that's fine!

(2) Then comes the fun part: punching the dough down. Yes, literally, make a fist and *gently* push it into the center of the puffy dough. There's something so therapeutic about that, especially when you just had a bad day! It will get the air out and deflate the dough so you can shape it.

(3) Now the tricky part: getting that “perfect” bagel shape. There are many different techniques. I tried the “roll, cut and poke” one and I was pretty happy with the result. If you have a bagel cutter, that works too!

(4) The boiling step (or as my little one called it “bath time”!) might sound weird but don't skip it, the bagels will expand further in the hot water.

(5) Let's not forget a little shine: brush some beaten egg over the top of the bagels.

(6) Finally, bake. I recommend using parchment paper so you do not need to grease the baking sheet and bonus: it makes cleaning afterward easier.

If possible, enjoy these bagels right out of the oven. There isn't a lot of moisture or fat in bagels, so they will dry out quickly if left out. They will keep well in the fridge for a few days. Or you can freeze them. Just thaw for 30 minutes or reheat in the microwave, then cut in half and toast. Yummy!

For 12 bagels (based on a recipe from Good Mood Food by Donal Skehan)

• 4 ½ oz. raisins / 125 g de raisins secs
• a little over 1 lb. of unbleached white whole wheat flour (or regular all-purpose flour or a mix of white flour and whole wheat flour) / 500g de farine (blanche ou complète, ou un mélange 50/50)
• 12 oz. lukewarm water/ 350 ml d'eau tiède
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dried yeast / 7 g (un sachet) de levure de boulanger deshydratée
• 3 tablespoons sugar / 3 cuillères à soupe de sucre
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon / 1 cuillère à soupe de canelle en poudre
• 2 teaspoons salt / 2 cuillères à café de sel
• 1 egg, beaten / 1 oeuf, battu

Soak the raisins in a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Place the flour in a large bowl (or in KitchenAid bowl if using) and make a well in the center. Pour the water, yeast and sugar into the well and allow to sit for 6-8 minutes, until it becomes thick and frothy. Add the cinnamon and salt and using a spoon slowly incorporate the flour into the yeast and water mix.

Turn the dough out on to a floured surface (if kneading by hand) and knead in the raisins. Continue kneading for 4-5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Grease a large bowl, place the dough in it and cover with a cloth. Leave in a warm place for about one hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down and turn out onto a floured surface. With your hands, shape the dough into a long roll and cut into 12 1-inch slices. Poke your finger through the middle of each slice and pull gently to make the hole bigger. Place on greaseproof paper and set aside for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, lower the heat to simmer and drop 4 bagels in at a time. Cook the bagels for approximately 1 minute per side, turning with a slotted spoon. Drain the bagels and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with a little beaten egg and place in the oven for about 25 minutes until bagels are golden. Enjoy!