Tiger Nut, Pumpkin and Cranberry Bagels

I have to avoid gluten and one of the things really do miss are bagels,  which is why I was so excited when I came across this recipe! This amazing recipe is created by Jaime Hartman, a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Certified AIP Coach, who runs the Gutsy By Nature website. Jamie is a nutritional coach and her recipes are gut-friendly, Paleo and AIP compliant and as she is a fan of tiger nuts you’ll find lots of delicious tiger nut-based recipes on her site.

What I love is that these gluten-free bagels are so much like the real thing, with just the right density and chewiness.   The pumpkin and cranberry add a festive flavour and they also happen to be vegan and nut-free, so you should be able to share them with virtually anyone.

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet – but it is high on my list of things to do, and I promise I’ll add a photo here when I do! You’ll find the recipe below, and if you’d like to read Jaime’s full recipe blog post you will find it here 

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (about 95 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 125 grams (1 cup) tiger nut flour
• 170 grams (1 cup) cassava flour
• 100 grams (3/4 cup) arrowroot starch/flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup unsweetened dried cranberries

1. The baking process for bagels includes two steps: boiling and baking, so set up for that first. Fill a large pot with enough water that you will be able to place 3 bagels in it at a time and give them enough room to move around and not touch each other. Preheat your oven to 450° F and line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Put warm water in a pourable measuring cup and add maple syrup and yeast. Mix and set aside for a few minutes while you weigh and mix your flours.
3. Using a baking scale, measure out the tiger nut, cassava, and arrowroot flours and place in a mixing bowl. Add salt and whisk all to evenly distribute.
4. Add pumpkin puree to flour mixture and then add about ¾ of the water and yeast mixture. Combine with a spoon and note how dry or moist the dough is becoming. Add just enough of the remaining water to create a dough that is able to be mixed together and hold its shape and not overly wet and hard to manage.
5. Add in the cranberries.
6. Place dough on a clean countertop and use your hands to knead a few times, ensuring that the flours and all ingredients are evenly distributed and a good dough has formed.
7. Divide the dough into 5 equal sized portions and shape into bagels.
8. Carefully place 3 bagels, one at a time, into the boiling water. Set a timer right away for 4 minutes. They will sink to the bottom and may stick there so after about a minute of boiling use a long-handled slotted spoon or a skimmer like this one to gently dislodge them from the bottom and let them float up to the top. After 4 minutes of boiling, remove each bagel with the slotted spoon or skimmer and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 2 bagels.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, then slice and eat. These taste best on the day they are made but can be frozen if you wish to keep them longer.