Finished dish photo of Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels

I’d been craving bagels for a while. These are super quick and convenient to make—I just spontaneously kneaded a small batch of dough. Fragrant and pleasantly chewy. They’re even more popular as burger buns than soft rolls~~

Ingredients

Rolled oats50 g
Bread flour (Waque Commune brand)200 g
Salt4 g
Brown sugar15 g
Low-sugar yeast2.5 g
Water135 g
Olive oil10 g
#Sugar waterto taste
Water1000 g
Sugar50 g

Steps

1

Combine all the ingredients and knead until the dough reaches the gluten development stage (extended stage).

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 1
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2

Divide the dough into small pieces of about 80 g each. (I suddenly added a chunk of old dough, so I divided it into six pieces; without the old dough you’ll get exactly five small dough balls.) Shape into tight balls, cover with a damp cloth, and let relax for about 15 minutes.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 2
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3

Roll the rested dough into an oval and pat it with your hand to remove any air bubbles.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 3
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4

Flip it over and place it horizontally in front of you on the work surface. Fold the top third inward and press firmly with the heel of your hand to expel any trapped air.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 4
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5

Fold the bottom third inward in the same way and press to seal tightly.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 5
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6

Fold the two sides together and pinch the seam tightly closed.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 6
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7

Using both palms, gently roll the dough into a rope about 21–22 cm long.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 7
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8

As you roll, taper one end on the left slightly thinner. Flatten the right end with your palm, then roll it out thin with a rolling pin.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 8
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9

Bring the two ends together to form a ring.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 9
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10

Wrap the thinned left end with the rolled-out right end, then pinch along the rolled-out part bit by bit to seal the joint tightly.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 10
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11

Tidy up the shape and place on parchment paper.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 11
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12

Shape all the bagels in turn and place each one on a cut piece of parchment (this makes it easier to transfer them for boiling later). Arrange on a baking tray.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 12
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13

Cover with a proofing cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. In hot weather, room temperature is fine.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 13
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14

When the proofing time is almost up, make the sugar water. Add 50 g sugar to 1000 g water and heat until it is close to boiling.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 14
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15

Preheat the oven to 200°C. When the sugar water is close to boiling, gently lower the bagel dough (last time someone said the parchment stuck to the bottom, so this time I put the bagels in with the parchment; actually mine never stuck~~so do whatever works for you). Boil one side for 30 seconds, then flip with a slotted spoon.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 15
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16

Boil the second side for another 30 seconds, then remove and drain well and place on the baking tray. While the surface is still tacky from the sugar water, sprinkle a little rolled oats on top.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 16
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17

Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven at 200°C, top and bottom heat, for about 20 minutes.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bagels - Step 17
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Cooking Tips

Tips 1. This is a relatively low-hydration dough, so it’s not as easy to knead as sweet bread dough. Please hang in there—you really do need to knead until the dough is smooth and reaches the extended gluten stage~~ 2. Follow the shaping steps carefully; whenever the instructions say to press or pinch, make sure you really seal it tight~~ 3. After shaping, the proofing time should not exceed half an hour; 20–30 minutes is enough. If you cover with a damp cloth, remember to wring it out well!! You can also cover with plastic wrap or place the dough in a sealed space~~ 4. Don’t boil the bagels for too long; work quickly. Use a slotted spoon to lift them out, shake off the water, and place on the baking tray. If you want to add toppings on the surface, this is the time to do it~ Make sure the oven is fully preheated! 5. For more detailed tips, you can check my other recipes on Xiachufang—they’re explained in great detail~~ http://www.xiachufang.com/recipe/100601403/