TRADITIONAL BAGELS

Prep: 25 minutes + standing. Cooking: 25 minutes. Makes 12. 3 tsp (10g) dried yeast 1 tbsp caster sugar

1 cup (250ml) warm milk 3 cups (450g) plain flour 1 tbsp caster sugar, extra 1 egg yolk

1 tbsp poppy seeds

2 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp sesame seeds

2 tsp linseeds

2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 Combine yeast, sugar, 1/2 cup (125ml) lukewarm water and warm milk in a large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Cover and stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.

2 Stir sifted flour, 3 tsp salt and extra sugar into yeast mixture in two batches, then continue to mix until mixture forms a firm dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.

3 Grease and lightly flour an oven tray.

Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 1 minute or until smooth. Divide dough into 12 portions; form each portion into a ball.

Make a hole by pressing your thumb into the centre of each ball, spinning the ball around until hole is one-third the size of the bagel. Place bagels 3cm apart on tray. Cover; stand in a warm place for 15 minutes or until risen.

4 Preheat oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan). Grease and line two oven trays with baking paper.

5 Working in batches of 4, drop bagels one at a time into a large saucepan of boiling water, ensuring they don’t touch. Boil for 1 minute; turn, then boil a further 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bagels to lined trays.

6 Place egg yolk and 1 tsp water in small bowl and whisk to combine. Brush over bagels then sprinkle with combined seeds and salt flakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

VARIATIONS

ONION BAGELS Substitute mixed seeds topping with 21/2 tbsp onion flakes and 2 tsp salt flakes. BLUEBERRY ORANGE BAGELS Add 2 tsp finely grated orange zest and ¾ cup frozen blueberries with the flour in step 2. Omit seeds and salt flakes in step 6; sprinkle with 21/2 tbsp white sugar before baking.

CINNAMON SULTANA BAGELS

Add 2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup sultanas with the flour in step 2. Omit seeds and salt flakes in step 6; sprinkle with 21/2 tbsp white sugar before baking.