Honey Grain Bagels

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 ⅓ cups warm water

• 3-3 ½ cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats (or 1 cup oat flour, ½ cup whole oats)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons honey, plus extra for glaze

Instructions

1. Dissolve sugar in water in a large bowl and sprinkle yeast on top and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. While yeast proves, place one cup of oats in a food processor and pulse until oats are the consistency of flour. My Ninja blender was perfect for this task! Skip this step if you are using ready made oat flour.
3. After 10 minutes, mix in honey, salt, oat flour and wheat flour until dough forms a shaggy ball.
4. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and mix on low for 3-4 minutes.  Then increase speed to medium until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.
5. Roll your dough into a ball and transfer to a large bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise for one hour in a warm, draft free place, or until dough has doubled in size.
6. Gently de-gas the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. I find it easiest to do this with a kitchen knife. Roll each piece into a smooth ball, and use a floured finger to make a hole in each ball. Widen the hole to approximately one-third of the bagel’s diameter.
7. Place bagels on a lined baking sheet (lined with either parchment paper or a silicon mat) and cover. Allow bagels to rise for 20 minutes.

8. While your bagels rise, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. 
9. Once bagels have finished rising, boil bagels uncovered for one minute on each side. Depending on the size of your pot, you should be able to boil 2-3 at a time. Remove bagels from boiling water using a slotted spoon or perforated skimmer and let cool on a wire rack. Repeat for all bagels and pat dry with a towel before returning to baking sheet.
10. Pour remaining oats into a shallow dish. Lightly glaze the top of each bagel with honey and press into dish oats until bagel is well coated.
11. Return to baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Bagel should sound hollow when tapped.
12. Allow bagel to cool on a wire rack, and enjoy!