Jerusalem Bagels #worldbreadday2020

Vegan Jerusalem Bagels are pillow-soft with a lightly chewy crust, accented by toasted sesame seeds. Sliced and frozen they are a perfect secret weapon mid week... If they don't "disappear" while still hot and fresh!

 

It is the 15th ever World Bread Day hosted by Zorra (@zorrakochtopf )! It has been a while since I last participated (university is no joke kids) but I am so glad to bring my bakes to the table again this year!

Bagels are known for being time consuming and messy to make in this house - the use of the mixer, stove and oven along with the baking sheets and cooling racks and floured counters... it's a lot when you just want some carbs in the breadbox! That said, bagels are insanely convenient for the school year lunches, breakfasts on the go, and lazy Saturday mornings. When I stumbled across "Jerusalem bagels" on Coco's Green Deli, I was intrigued - ring-shaped, topped with sesame but without the glossy and chewy exterior from boiling, could they possibly compare to my beloved Montreal bagels, or even my usual homemade ones?

 

 

Well, the short answer is yes! While different from the boiled bagels, these soft, pillowy breads are the perfect (and fast) addition to the weekday routine. The dough is soft and slightly sweet thanks to the soy milk and sugar, while whole wheat flour adds a touch of nuttiness and a boost of fibre. I also added a scoop of Naked Rice protein to the dough since N will occasionally eat them without any Toast Topper or even peanut butter (shocker, I know!) and the protein and fibre will help keep him full and energized for a few hours. The dough is also great for making dinner rolls to pair with soup or chili, but whatever you do, don't skip the seedy topping! It doesn't have to be sesame seeds - but flax, chia, poppy, heck even sunflower seeds add a boost of crunch and a warming nuttiness that really keeps them from being too sweet and rich.

 

Interestingly enough, when I made these on parchment paper, I didn't like them as much as I did when I baked them on SilPat - possibly because the silicone insulates the dough and keeps the softness throughout the whole bagel. However, both are good - you just have a bit of a thicker bottom crust on parchment.

 

Thanks again to Zorra for hosting WBD 15! 

 

 

Jerusalem Bagels

Lightly adapted from Coco's Green Deli

Makes 6

1 1/3 cups plain soy milk

1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp instant yeast
4 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 scoop Naked Rice protein powder (optional)
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sesame oil

 

water, for brushing

Sesame seeds, for topping

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a large bowl with a wooden spoon), combine the soy milk, sugar, yeast, bread flour and protein powder to make a shaggy dough.
2. Cover and let rest 5 minutes.
3. Add the salt and oil and knead until smooth and supple, about 7 minutes on low speed.
4. Cover and let rise 1 hour, until doubled. 
5. Knock down and knead briefly, then divide into 6 pieces.
6. Working with one piece at a time, shape into a ball and poke a hole on the middle, stretching the dough to make it longer, like an ellipse. 
7. Place finished bagel on a cookie sheet lined with SilPat (or parchment, see note above). Repeat with remaining dough.
8. Brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rest while heating the oven to 350F.
9. Bake bagels for 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
10. Cool on a rack (completely before slicing, or tear into them while still warm!)