Making your own blueberry bagels from scratch is much easier than you think! We added some white chocolate chunks into the dough for good measure 😉
When life gives you lemons, forget about lemonade. Make some blueberry bagels instead.
The school-induced stress from this month has taken a toll on my body. My eye bags are darker than ever and my insomnia is persistent AF. University isn’t letting me go easily, my last semester is heaviest it’s been in 2ish years, I have midterms right after our reading week for the first time ever, and my graduation ceremony is at 8:30 in the morning! Who graduates that early?? Apparently me, LOL! All this to say, I’m not complaining but rather laughing at my circumstances; life can be so funny sometimes.
Our long-awaited reading break finally arrived and despite the looming deadlines, I did my best to give myself brain breaks. On the days when I had to do some studying, I’d get it done in the morning then allow myself to bake or go out with friends in the later half of the day. In retrospect, it’s been a pretty fun week! Nothing compared to escaping to Hawaii but I did get to see my best friends many times (perks of living at home), hike up a snowy mountain to catch an incredible sunset, go on a long (imo) run with Chew, and make and eat lots of delicious foods.
I’ve been so busy and exhausted to the point where I didn’t really even have time to procrasti-bake, which is my usual way of coping with stress. I’ve been wanting to make bagels ever since Hot of Food uploaded her YouTube tutorial for everything bagels and finally got to do so.
Vancouver got blanketed with snow during our break, so we stayed indoors to study and do homework. It was a break for ‘reading’ and not a break from reading. To keep our poor brain cells adequately fueled, I took a box of freshly baked bagels up to Chew’s house. She was overjoyed to hear that I was bringing bagels because she had developed a craving for them in the morning. Blueberry bagels are also her favourite. How’s that for being the perfect wifey? Just call me #baegoals. (Yes, the two of us are practically a married couple.)Â With these bagels, you can be #baegoals too.
Homemade bagels will ruin your life. They’re shockingly simple to make because the stand mixer does most of the hard work, there is less waiting involved compared to cinnamon buns, and the boiling part is well… just bring water to a boil! Upon first bite, you’ll never want to go back to eating those dry store-bought ones. These blueberry bagels are truly best eaten fresh out of the oven or on the day of.
I’ve made two batches of bagels in the span of a week and Chew thinks I’m at the beginning of bagel phase. I’ve made everything and blueberry so far, and definitely want to make cinnamon raisin, chocolate chip, and herb-y ones next! They’re just so easy and delicious and playing with bread dough is therapeutic and stress-relieving. Don’t be intimidated by making bagels from scratch and give this blueberry bagel recipe a try!
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2¼ tsp traditional yeast
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp organic cane sugar
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- ½ cup white chocolate chunks or chips*
- 1½ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp neutral-flavoured vegetable oil
- 2L boiling water
- 2 tbsp honey*
- Cream cheese, for serving*
- Mix bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast, blueberries, and white chocolate chips together in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook.
- With the mixer turned on low, gradually pour in the oil and water and mix until a dough forms.
- Turn mixer onto medium or medium-low and knead for 7-10 minutes, until a smooth dough ball forms.
- Remove the dough from the hook and lightly oil the surface of the dough ball. Place it back in the bowl, cover it with a tea towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 8 even pieces.
- Knead each piece a few times. To shape, roll each piece into a ball and poke a hole in the middle with your thumb. Stretch the hole until it is about 1½" wide. Place shaped bagels onto the prepared baking sheet. Let the bagels rest for 15 minutes.
- Bring 2 litres of water to a rolling boil in a pot. Add the honey and stir until dissolved.
- Boil each bagel for a total of 1 minute (30 seconds each side). Use a strainer to scoop them out of the pot and allow as much excess water to drip off before placing them back on the same parchment paper.Bake bagels for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown.
- Best enjoyed the day of with a very generous smear of cream cheese!
Recipe adapted from Hot for Food
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