Banana-pecan bagels with cinnamon

I told you about plain bagels the other day, so here are the fancier ones. These are really tasty - you can play around with spices and nuts, obviously. I like that these are "all in one" - you can eat them as they are. Perfect for a very fast breakfast - just pop one in the microwave, and eat on the go. Or, if you're less stressed, they're actually very good with butter and a slice of sharp cheddar. Or just fried in butter.. my friend Rebecca's mom Pat, in Long Beach CA, used to make them like that when I stayed with them. Yummy!

Banana-pecan bagels with cinnamon

2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
300 ml tepid water, divided
700 g flour (you might need more)
fat pinch of salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
handful of pecans, roughly chopped
1 tbsp cinnamon

Method is much the same, but the flour is much more variable in this recipe since the banana makes it a lot stickier. Also, it will vary due to the size of your bananas.

Mix the yeast, sugar and 100 ml of tepid water in a large bowl. Let it sit for five minutes. Mix in bananas and cinnamon. Then, mix the flour with the salt, and add gradually, and add the remaining 200 ml of water. I use a Kitchen-Aid for mixing, but you could of course be doing this by hand. I let my machine run for about five minutes. Add the nuts somewhere in the middle, after 2-3 minutes of kneading. You might need to add more flour - you're looking for a very smooth elastic dough, that doesn't feel sticky when you touch it. It shouldn't look dry and floury though!

Roll the dough into a ball, and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a towel, and let it rise for about an hour, or until it's roughly doubled in size. Then, knock the air out of it, and leave it for ten more minutes. Divide into 8 equal pieces (kitchen scales are handy for this) and shape into balls. Taking each ball in your hands, make a little hole in the middle. Stretch this hole by twirling the dough around your fingers until you have a decent donut shape. Place on a baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rest for ten minutes.

Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of sugar in it to boil. Lower the temperature - you want it to simmer. Poach the bagels, two or three at a time, for about one minute on each side. They should puff up. Lift up with a slotted spoon, and place back on baking sheet. Bake in a 225°C oven for 14-16 minutes.

Banan-pecan bagels med kanel