Strawberry Bagels
Strawberry bagels are a special kind of bagel that taste like strawberries. They are pink and have a sweet flavor. These bagels are made with fresh berries and are a nice treat for breakfast or a snack. They are chewy and a little sweet, and you can eat them with cream cheese or toast them lightly. Making these bagels might take some planning, but they are really tasty and worth it!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound strawberries
- 1/2 Meyer lemon, zested
- 1/2 tsp Meyer lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp + a pinch brown sugar, divided
- 2 tbsp lukewarm water
- 1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Water Bath
- 1 quart water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- First, dice about 2 cups of fresh strawberries into small pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine the strawberries with lemon zest, lemon juice and brown sugar. Stir the mixture occasionally and mash the solids with the back of a spoon or potato masher to extract the juices from the berries. Set aside.
- Next, add water to the bowl of a stand electric mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of brown sugar over the water's surface and stir to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes until bubbles appear, indicating the yeast is activated.
- Once activated, add the macerated berries, one cup of flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Use the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon to blend everything together well. Then gradually mix in the remaining flour until a thick, tacky dough forms that cleans the sides of the bowl. Change to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes.
- Grease a large mixing bowl with oil. Transfer the kneaded dough to the bowl and coat it evenly with additional oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Once risen, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth, tight ball, pinching the bottom seams. Place the balls on a tray covered with plastic wrap and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
- While resting, heat water and sugars in a large pot to a gentle boil. Grease two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Working with one ball at a time, poke a hole through the center and stretch into a 1-inch diameter ring. Cook batches of 4 bagels each for 2 minutes per side in the simmering water. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before serving.