Turkish Soft Bagels!

Each January, as I welcome a New Year, I become more and more humbled when I survey the year past ......its hopes, realized and disappointed.......its trials, strengthening and stretching.......its joys, expected and surprising......  Through it all, the verse "In everything, give thanks" rings in my heart. Perhaps age puts this lens on the "everyday".... It fills me with gratitude for the family and friends that surround me, happy for all the moments we have shared, and looking forward to the coming year and what we have yet to share together. My prayer for your 2017 would be that your heart would sing with gratitude through your days! 

I think these yummy Turkish Soft Bagels will make you sing, too! Because it's a richer dough, the rising time is a little longer, but they are worth the wait. Enjoy these with a friend as you discuss your plans for 2017! 

Turkish Soft Bagels!

Dough:

½ Cup warm milk

¼ Cup warm water

1 Tbsp./ Packet Red Star Platinum yeast

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. softened butter

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 ½ - 3 unbleached all-purpose flour

Toppings:

1 egg yolk, beaten w/ 1 tsp. water

Sesame seeds, if desired

Place warm water, milk and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Punch dough and separate into golf ball-sized pieces. Pinch each “golf ball” in half. Roll each half out into a 12” rope. Pinch the ropes together at the top, then twist together. Pinch ends together and form a ring. Repeat with remaining dough pieces, placing finished shapes on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush lightly with the egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds (using black and white sesame seeds make a beautiful bagel! I only had white….) Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, till golden.

Turkish Soft Bagels!