By: Jessica Ivaska | May 04 2011
Posted in Seattle - Cook It - Seattle

Photo by: Jessica Ivaska

Remember back in the 90s when there was a bagel shop on every corner? It was carb-lovers heaven. Then low-carb fad diets hit the scene and sadly, many bagel shops closed their doors. Thankfully, a few incredibly delicious bagel bakeries like Eltana on Capital Hill - which offers wood-fired bagels - and Bagel Oasis - serving up New York-style treats - can still be found in Seattle.

Because of quality "bagelries" like these, you can still experience joy of biting into a fresh, chewy bagel in our busy city. It gets even better when you smother the hole-y delights with cream cheese and locally-produced lox. Is your mouth watering yet?

But even with treasured bagel shops nearby, not everyone is able to delight in the round perfection of the bagel. With gluten intolerance and celiac disease on the rise, more and more people are avoiding products with wheat, barley, rye, and oats in them, making it nearly impossible to enjoy chewy goodness—until now. This bagel recipe is prefect for people with a variety of food intolerances. It’s free of gluten, eggs, dairy, and even yeast. We know it sounds strange, but trust us, these are among the most delicious bagels we've had!

 

The ingredients are the only things about this process that aren’t traditional. Once the bagels are formed, they are poached before being baked in a hot oven. The result is pure heaven. If you aren’t familiar with gluten-free baking, a few things on the ingredient list may seem odd, so here’s a short run-down:

Because wheat flour has a specific flavor and texture, no one flour of another type can be substituted in recipes. Instead, a variety of starches and flours can be used to get as close to the original wheat-based product as possible. Guar or xanthan gum is also included to add volume and elasticity. Guar gum is derived from an East Indian seed, while xanthan gum is made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris. Flax seeds add an earthy flavor, along with a hefty dose of healthy 0meaga-3 fatty acids, and are often used in gluten-free and vegan baked goods as an egg replacer.

Because gluten-free baking is on the rise, most of these flours and other ingredients can be found in many Seattle-area grocery and health food stores. We like using Bob’s Red Mill flours, gums, and flax seed since they are available in most stores, and online here. TIP: If you're looking to save a few bucks, try sourcing flours at ethnic grocery stores. Asian grocers often have rice flour and tapioca flour for a fraction of the price.

 

Once you've purchased all your ingredients, these bagels come together much more quickly then their gluten and yeast-filled counterparts. Like most home-made goods, they are best fresh out of the oven, or eaten within a few days of baking (they reheat nicely in a toaster). So stock up on plain and flavored schmear, and enjoy!

 

Ready to go into the oven!

 

Gluten-Free, Yeast-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Mini Bagels
Makes 8

Recipe based off of this one from Creative Recipes for Wandering Minds.

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup corn starch
2/3 cup tapioca flour
½ cup brown rice flour
½ cup garbanzo bean flour
1 ½ teaspoons guar or xanthan gum
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed soaked for 5 minutes in 3 Tablespoon boiling water

1 ½ Tablespoons seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

5 cups water for poaching

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. In a large bowl, sift together the flours and dry ingredients, then add the oil, water and wet flax and mix thoroughly until you have a thick, moist dough. With moistened hands, divide the dough into 8 equally-sized balls, flatten slightly, and poke your finger in the center to form a bagel shape. Place no more than 3 bagels in the pot and poach each for approximately 2 minutes each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with seeds if desired. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then flip to the other side and bake for another 10.
 
Voila! Now you're ready to delight in crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside, gluten-free bagels! Time to plan a bagel brunch party with your friends...

Find more gluten-free goodness on The Local Dish:

Gluten-Free Goodies for Bay Area Locals

Go Nuts: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free Doughnuts

Diet Restrictions Meet Their Match at Seattle's Flying Apron Bakery

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