There are so many bready bakes that I’ve missed, since having had to give up gluten.
Well, now I can finally reduce that list by one more. I have tried countless bagel recipes already out there to find one that satisfied my bagel sensibilities. This is the closest I have come to reminding me of a trip to Russ and Daughters in the Lower East Side of Manhattan (best lox and bagels ever!) without the complications that other recipes contain.
There are a lot of wonderful gluten free recipes out there to try. However, time and again, I found that many of them rely on a proprietary gluten free flour blend, a whacky ingredient that I just didn’t have, or making large batches of dough which required that I make dozens of bagels or fill a freezer full of dough. But then I tried this recipe. I was very happy with the outcome. And it used ingredients that I already had in the pantry. And it was small batch. And it had a great texture. Need I go on?
Grain Free Doesn’t Mean Tasteless
Yes, these bagels are made without any grain type flours. So now you are worried that they must taste like wood chips. Seriously they taste great. They rely on almond flour as the main ingredient. And yet they don’t have a nutty, slightly sweet undertone. The texture isn’t crumbly at all. There is a lovely undertone of fat from the nut flour. So yes, these are lower in carbs, but a bit higher in fat. I can live with that. Bagels aren’t a daily treat over here. Usually we have them on the weekend, as part of a relaxed spread, filling them as we desire, usually with cream cheese, veggies for crunch and smoked salmon or eggs. And often I will slice one in half and be content with that slice. There is a way to deal with the nutrition reality of most baked bready things. Just eat less!
Half of the Charm of Bagels is the Toppings
We all love standing at the deli counter trying to decide which bagels will go into the bag we will take home with us. And our choice is usually decided by those toppings. Whether it is good ole everything bagel mix, (a la Trader Joe’s!) poppyseed, sesame seed, onion flake, za’atar, or even cheese, why must we decide with this batch? Let’s use them all! Of course if everyone in the family just wants sesame seeds, go for it. I always like to have one or two cheesy topped one, they make a great bagel for grilled tomato and cheese sandwiches.
Gotta Have the Schmear!
Sure, toasted and buttered is fine, for a cinnamon raisin bagel. But truly, a good creamy schmear is the ultimate way to eat a bagel. And which schmear is more classic than that blend of cream cheese and lox (smoked salmon)? Is there a better one? I’m waiting… So, if I’m going to share a bagel recipe with you, it just wouldn’t be right to do so and not include the schmear that gets me every time. This one comes together easily with whipped cream cheese, if you can source it. If not, just make sure the cream cheese you are using is nice and soft. Finely chopped smoked salmon, green onion or chives, a bit of lemon zest and juice, black pepper and softened butter, and next thing you know, you have Schmear paradise!
Like I mentioned at the outset, having some great gluten free bready recipes makes me feel like I still belong to the land of the living. Having recipes that come together quickly is even better. This recipe comes together quickly, doesn’t require proofing since there isn’t any yeast, and freezes great. After creating the dough, you will divide it into 6 balls, roll them and flatten them slightly. Poke a hole in the middle and spread it out slightly. Into a quick spa steam of lightly boiling water, and then into the oven to finish off. Yes, that water bath is the classic step to get them to start puffing, create a fullness, and make them ready for the toppings. But instead of topping them right away, I love the step of baking them for 10 minutes and then using an egg wash to create the glue for the toppings. It works beautifully. They come out golden brown, with a tender interior.
I know you will love these, even if you don’t have to eat gluten free. They really are quite deceiving! And delicious. If you do feel like baking with a bit more oomph, why not check out these Sourdough English Muffins? They’re a blog favourite!
Love Jen
Gluten Free Bagels with Lox Schmear
Ingredients
- 3 cups blanched almond flour not ground almonds which may have the skins ground in as well
- 1 1/4 cup tapioca starch can also use arrowroot starch
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2/3 cup warm water around 100F
- 1 egg yolk with a splash of water beaten for egg wash before sprinkling on the toppings
Toppings
- sesame seeds
- za'atar blend
- grated parmesan or cheddar cheese
- poppyseeds
- Every Bagel Blend
Lox Schmear
- 3/4 cup whipped or softened cream cheese
- 1 tbsp softened butter
- 4 tbsp finely chopped smoked salmon
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives or green onion
- zest and juice of half a lemon
- 1/4 tsp of black pepper or to taste
- finely chopped dill for garnish
Instructions
Bagels
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Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
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Whisk the apple cider vinegar, honey, and water in another bowl till well blended. Pour this into the large bowl and mix everything together by hand until smooth.
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Fill a large pot or wok half full of water and bring to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, reduce the heat slightly to keep water at a gentle boil.
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Take the dough and place it on a floured surface (I use rice flour for this step, but you could use oat flour or any other gluten free flour, unless of course you are sticking to a grain free diet) Shape it into a log and use a knife or bench scraper to divide it into 6 equal portions.
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Wet hands and form each portion into a ball. Flatten the ball just slightly. Place your index finger into some of the bench flour you are using and press it into the middle of the ball and move in a small circle, creating a wider hole in the middle of the bagel. Repeat with each bagel.
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Carefully drop 2 bagels in the boiling water and wait until they float to the top. Gently remove with a slotted spatula or spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet. I like using a slotted spatula, since there are no edges to cut into the softened dough which could damage the bagel somewhat.
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Repeat until all bagels have been boiled.
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Bake in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes.
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Remove the baking sheet from oven and brush one with beaten egg yolk. Top each bagel with plenty of which ever spices or blends you desire. Don't egg wash them all and then go back and sprinkle on the toppings. The egg wash will start to harden, thus reducing it's ability to hang on to the toppings. Do one bagel entirely at a time.
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Return bagels to the oven and cook for 20-25 more minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest on a cooling rack for 10-20 minutes before serving. The centre of the bagels needs to firm up and dry out a bit or else they will be gummy.
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To freeze, slice in half, place a small piece of parchment between the halves and then wrap each bagel in plastic wrap. Store in a freezer bag for future cravings. This way, if you only want half a bagel, you won't have to wait for the bagel to thaw in order to slice it in half.
Lox Schmear
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Combine all the ingredients in a bowl till softened and completely blended. This can be made in advance and stored in the fridge till needed. Sprinkle with dill before serving. Pull it out so that it can come to room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
Bagel recipe courtesy of Kiwi and Carrot
Everything Spice Blend, for when you don't have Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Mix on hand
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. white sesame seeds
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
1 ½ tsp. dried onion flakes
1 ½ tsp. dried garlic flakes
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