Panera's Asiago Cheese Bagels

Panera is one of my favorite comfort food restaurants, but it's quite expensive to eat there often. I love their iced green tea. I love their macaroni and cheese. I love their asiago cheese bagels... so I set out to make them.

I have made bagels numerous times, and they're not very hard. They do take time and patience, but a homemade bagel is so worth it.

Here's what I used and here's the blog I got the recipe from:

You basically knead, let rest, cut into pieces, let rest, broil, boil, and then bake :) YUM!

This is everything making friends in the mixer... Confession: first time I've used my dough hook. SO EASY.

When everything comes together, lay it on a clean, floured surface and knead until it looks like this:

See: smooth, elastic, absorbed a lot of the flour!

You let that rest and then cut into six 'equal' (do your best!) portions and then form into a bagel shape. I do this by rolling dough into a ball-shape, poking a hole in the middle, and then stretching out the hole until sides are mostly even. Try your best :) They will still taste good!

They need to rise again, but put a big pot of water with a tablespoon of sugar on the stove while you wait.

Then you need to broil the bagels for three minutes and then boil them. This was a new method for me :)

Happy face! Becoming good things... notice how small the holes got? That's okay. More room for asiago cheese!

Put in a hot 375 oven and bake for 12 minutes. Pull out and top with cheese and then bake for 12-15 minutes more :) Keep your eye on it. They could burn. Thankfully, mine did not :)

YUMMM!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 package (0.25 ounce) instant yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (115 degrees F)
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded (I split this half parm and half asiago) 
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced dried onion
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) asiago cheese or six-cheese blend, shredded

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, yeast, 1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar, Parmesan, dried onion, and salt.  Add warm water and combine with dough hooks on low mixer speed until dough forms.  Add a little more flour or water if necessary to reach desired consistency. 
2. Roll out dough on lightly-floured surface.  Knead until dough becomes smooth and elastic (a few minutes or so).  Let rest in a lightly oiled bowl, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. With floured scissors, cut into six portions of equal size.  Shape each portion into a smooth ball and poke a hole in center.  Gently pull dough outwards until hole reaches 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.  Place on greased baking sheet and cover dough with a warm, damp cloth.  Let rise 20 minutes.
4. While dough is rising, place 1 gallon water mixed with 1 Tablespoon sugar in a large, deep pot over high heat.  Once water begins boiling, lower heat until water reaches a simmer.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Broil bagels on low at least 6 inches from heat for 3 minutes, turning once halfway through.
6. Gently drop 3-4 bagels at a time into simmering water.  Cook 7 minutes, turning once halfway through.  Drain on paper towels.  Return bagels to greased baking sheet and bake 25 minutes.  When about 12-15 minutes of cook time remains, quickly remove baking sheet from oven, sprinkle asiago cheese atop each bagel, and then continue baking for remainder of time