I’ve tried a number of bagel and soft pretzel recipes now, and this one is by far the best! The flavor that comes through with the overnight rising is unbelievable, and boiling them in honey water instead of baking soda makes it taste legit – just like a bakery in Toronto I used to go to. As soon as we finish eating one batch of twister bagels I start making another one! Thanks to Sally for some key refinements to my previous recipes.
Ingredients
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
1+1/2 cups hottest tap water
3 cups white + 1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil to coat the rising bowl
1/4 cup honey
8 cups water
Bagel toppings (1 tbsp each sesame seeds and poppy seeds)
1 egg, beaten
Directions
In a small plastic (non-metal) bowl, mix the yeast and brown sugar, then add the hottest tap water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to form a foam over the surface. In a separate, larger bowl, mix the flours and salt.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together. Use your hands to knead it for about 7-10 minutes. Rub the olive oil around the larger bowl, then add the dough ball to it. Cover and let rise in the fridge overnight. It will about double in size.
In the morning, take the dough out from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 45 minutes before working with it.
Punch the dough down and cut it into 16 equal parts, then roll out each part into a thin rope about 6″ long. Pinch two ropes together at one end and then twist them around each other. After twisting the whole length of the ropes, pinch to join the two ends together in a circle to make a twisted bagel shape. See the pictures below to help you out.
Repeat for all the pieces of dough until you get 8 twisted bagels. Let the bagels rest while you prepare the water bath.
Heat the 8 cups water and honey in a large pot until it boils. Turn the heat down to simmering (medium or medium-high) and gently place a few bagels in at a time. They will float to the top. If they don’t, gently loosen them from the bottom of the pot with a spatula. Cook for 1 minute, then flip them over and cook for 1 minute more.
Brush the boiled twister bagels with the beaten egg, then dip them in a bowl of mixed sesame and poppy seeds if desired. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 10 more minutes. They will be a nice deep golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy fresh with a salad or with your favorite sandwich fillings, or store in the freezer for eating later!
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