Bringing a little bagel to a loaf of bread, with a chewy crust and a soft crumb, topped with homemade Everything Spice Mix or your favourite bagel topping. Makes 1 loaf.
2teaspoonsinstant yeast, or 2 1/2 tsp Active Dry yeast (not rapid or quick-rise instant yeast)
2 3/4cups(335g)bread flour, *see Notes
1/2teaspoonsfine sea salt, rounded
Everything Spice Mix (will make enough for 2 loaves):
1Tablespoondried minced garlic
1Tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoondried minced onion
2 1/4teaspoonwhite sesame seeds
1 1/2teaspoonblack sesame seeds, or more white sesame seeds
1 1/2teaspoonpoppy seeds
3/4teaspoonflaky sea salt, such as Maldon's, or 1/4-1/2 tsp fine salt
For Boiling:
1Tablespoonbaking soda for every 6 cups of water*
Egg Wash:
1largeegg, mixed with 1 Tbsp water
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Instructions
Make the dough: Add water, sugar and yeast to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the kneading hook. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of the flour, together with the salt and knead in. Add the remaining flour in small increments and knead in. Knead for 3-4 minutes with a mixer or 5-6 minutes, if kneading by hand, until dough is moist, but not sticky, cleans the bowl and wraps around the dough hook. *if your dough is sticky, add more flour, a bit at a time and knead in, until it is no longer sticky.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a minute more, then form into a ball and place into a greased bowl or container. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375F (regular bake/not fan-assisted), with oven rack in the centre of the oven.
Grease a metal 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. *Be sure the pot is about 10-inches wide, or your loaf will not fit in the pot! (It doesn't have to be super deep, as the loaf will float, but should be at least 6-inches deep and ideally more than that.
When dough has doubled, remove to a lightly floured surface and gently deflate. Pat or roll the dough into an 9x9-inch square. Roll up jelly-roll style and pinch the edge together. Place into the prepared pan with the seam side down. Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rise/rest for 15 minutes.
When water is boiling and dough has rested, add baking soda to water. Lift the dough out of the pan and place into boiling water, top of loaf down. Boil for 1 minute, then flip over and boil the other side for 1 minute more. Using a flat spatula, to slide underneath the loaf and some tongs to secure and steady it, lift the loaf out of the water and back into the loaf pan, keeping the seam side down.
Brush loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with Everything Seed Mix or the topping of your choice (sesame seeds, poppy seeds etc.)
Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the loaf is deep golden brown and reaches 195F internal temperature when measured with an instant read thermometer (mine usually takes about 30 minutes). Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
You can also use honey or barley malt syrup, instead of baking soda.You can use all purpose flour, if that is all you have on hand. You may need to use a bit more flour than stated and your resulting loaf will have a slightly softer texture.Leftover Everything spice mix will keep in an airtight container for several months.