Subzero degree days are not good for much — other than baking, of course. So on a recent cold and lazy afternoon, I found myself staring at the ingredients in my kitchen cupboard: flour, cornmeal, honey, sugar, dry yeast…
I wasn’t motivated enough for making bread, which can be a big commitment with the hours of kneading, rising and baking the dough requires. And that’s when it came to me: bagels — the quicker, simpler grain-based staple.
My bagel recipe called for only five ingredients: flour, honey, yeast, water and salt. After mixing the dough, I simply shaped, boiled and then baked it.
So how did my maiden batch of bagels turn out? Wonderfully. I’m already plotting my next dozen — I’m thinking protein-packed blueberry bagels. But, with my culinary confidence boosted, the frigid winter sky really is the limit.