I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes! I am doing a dance!

And also … whew whew whew (I’m saying, wiping the sweat away from my brow).

I was so nervous to try my hand at making the Scratch Baking Co. bagels but I DID IT and I feel like a million bucks!

Before going further I think it’s time for a major confession. Probably the biggest I’ve made in this web space. I, MAV, have never made a loaf of bread. There. I said it. I’ve never made bread. Agh! Can you believe it? With the way I wax on on 3191 about baking you’d think I was baking bread every other weekend. Well, no. I am completely intimidated by bread-baking. I just don’t get the rising and fermenting business and I’m not brave enough to just go for it. But here I was this weekend with my first bread experience upon me and it was of all things—bagels!

I’ll cut to the punch line and tell you that I have been beaming and I am quite proud to say that I rather liked my Scratch Baking Co. bagels. I even had a few good reviews from loved ones (the kind of loved ones who would tell you if something was awful so I trust them fairly well). Mind you, they were nowhere near perfect … nowhere near the goodness of the Scratch Baking Co. bagel itself but still … what a blast!

You need 6 hours from start to finish. You need your own sourdough starter. You need quarry tiles or a pizza stone in your oven. You need a scale. And you need a few other basic things but I’m telling you making bagels at home is really quite easy and if you’re like me, you’ll adore it.

: : :

I made my dough and let it rise for the instructed 3 hours. I cut and shaped my bagels. (Note: for this part you’ll want to watch Behind The Counter Episode One because it’s ever so helpful.)

I took my time putting in my holes. I love how misshapen and homemade they start to look at this point.

I let my bagels rise a bit more and then I boiled my bagels. I was surrounded by my very own bagels. It was the best feeling, I’m telling you! I added some salt as well as poppy and fennel seeds and I baked them up till golden!

My very own Scratch Baking Co. bagels. Come on now! This is what life is all about.

What do you think? Are you going to join me and make your own Scratch Bagels From Scratch? You’ll need a copy of Baker’s Notes, Issue No. 1, a bit of courage and you’re on your way. Do let me know if you make your own Scratch bagels. I’d love to hear about it and of course see a photograph. (email: hello {at} iammav.com)

Note: This is part two of a two-part post from last week. See the first part right here.

—MAV