Asiago Bagels

Asiago Bagels

I love Asiago bagels.  When I was younger, my mom and I went shopping every Saturday and most of the time we'd stop at Panera Bread for lunch.  We always got the same thing: bagels.  Mom would get Cinnamon Crunch and I'd get Asiago.

I was at the store and saw a container of Asiago cheese.  I'd never bought it before and picked it up without really thinking about what I was going to use it for.  Then I saw a recipe for these bagels and I knew my Asiago would be put to good use!

These were a huge hit!  They tasted great toasted with a bit of butter, and my personal favorite way: as a breakfast sandwich....so simple, just cook eggs like you're making an omelet.  Cut in half, cover in cheese, place on the bottom half of the bagel and top with bacon!

They're a little time consuming, but absolutely worth it.  I will definitely be making these again!

You will need:

For the sponge:
1 teaspoon  yeast
2-1/2 cups water, room temperature
4 cups flour

For the dough:
1/2 teaspoon yeast
3-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup Asiago cheese, shredded

1 Tablespoon baking soda
6 cups water
1 cup Asiago cheese, shredded


1.  For the sponge: In the bowl of your stand mixer dissolve yeast into water.  Add in flour and stir until a sticky batter is formed.  Cover and let rise for 2 hours.

2.  Add yeast to the sponge and stir.  Add in 3 cups of flour, salt, and brown sugar.  Mix with dough hook until the ingredients form a ball.  Slowly add the remaining flour.

3.  Continue to knead dough in mixer for 6 minutes (or 10 minutes by hand).  Add Asiago during the last minute of kneading and knead until it's distributed evenly through the dough.  At this point, the dough should be smooth and pliable.  It should pass the windowpane test.  If it doesn't, continue kneading.

4.  Divide dough into 12 equal balls.

5.  Cover the dough balls and let them rest for 20 minutes.

6.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with baking spray.

7.  Begin shaping bagels:  Push a hole through the center of each dough ball with your thumb and stretch hole to 2 inches in diameter.  Be sure to keep the bagel evenly shaped.

8.  Place shaped bagels on parchment paper and cover.  Let them rise for 1 hour.  Then refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days).

9.  When you are ready to bake your bagels, preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Mix baking soda and water in a large pan and bring it to a boil.

10.  Remove bagels from fridge and gently drop them into the water (only do as many as fit in the pan at a time, I did 3).  After 1 minute, flip bagels and boil for 1 more minute on the other side.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on parchment paper covered sheets.  Immediately sprinkle with Asiago.

11.  When all your bagels have been boiled, place pans in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.  Then rotate the pan 180 degrees.  Lower oven temperature to 450 and bake for 8 more minutes until bagels are golden brown (mine could have stayed in a little longer to get more brown).

12.  Cool bagels at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from:  Brown Eyed Baker