[RECIPE] Gluten Free Bagel

The one thing that I missed the most about a normal diet is having a bagel for breakfast. Whether it is slicing some avocado with a semi-cooked egg or with smoked salmon, bagels is my necessity. I'd always remember those college years where I would order a blueberry bagel with cream cheese to get through my afternoon studies at the library.

As a baker, I've come to the understanding that gluten-free recipes will never get as close to as a normal recipe. But being a scientist at heart and a chemist at soul, I've gone down the path of different permutation and combinations, iterative testings and finally, a recipe that I can feel proud to present.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. A gluten free diet does not mean needing to give up on a good wholesome bagel!

Ingredient

420g Rice Flour (If you have tapioca flour, feel free to switch out 20g of it)
50g Quinoa Flour
20g Soy Flour
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt
1 cup + 1 tablespoon (8 1/2 fluid ounces) warm water (about 95°F)
6 tablespoons (84 g) olive oil

Egg wash
2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
Seeds, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 180c (400F approximately) and start a water bath in a flat pan. If you don't have molasses, I've used brown sugar powder and it works just fine.

2. Mix yeast into the warm water, stir well and add in the sugar as well. Leave it out for 5-10mins so you start seeing some bubbling

3. Add in all the dry ingredients (all flour, salt) and add in the olive oil and yeast mixture into the mixer. Mix first at low speed to combine, and then at medium speed until the dough is soft and smooth (Approximately 5-10mins). If the mixer is having the hard time combining the mixture because it is too dry, knead with hand instead.

4. Divide the dough using a bench scraper into 8 equal parts or 12 if you prefer mini-bagel. The dough should weight about 63g for each portion for the mini-bagels.

5. Shape the dough into round balls and gently press it into a round disk. Using a chopstick or your finger to press through the center to create a hole.

6. When the water bath is heated, gently place the dough into the water bath and cook it for 40sec on each side. Drain the water and brush the top and bottom of the bagel with egg wash.