'I made homemade protein bagels with just two ingredients - it was surprisingly easy'

Bagels have had a renaissance in recent years, popping up in shops all over London, packed full of schmear and some even in every colour of the rainbow.

Personally, you can’t beat a beigel from Beigel Bake on Brick Lane. If you know, you know.

The process of baking a traditional bagel can take a while, so when I saw nutritionist Emily English share a simple two-ingredient recipe, I just had to test it out.

Not only did the recipe take out the need for proving the dough and a lye bath, but they’re also high in protein.

As someone who’s trying to increase their protein intake, it couldn’t have been more ideal.

The secret cheat’s ingredient? Greek yoghurt.

It feels wrong swapping out a proper dough for a cheat’s one, but then they wouldn’t be a convenient bake, would they?

Simply whack the flour and yoghurt into a bowl and mix until the dough begins to form, before giving it a need.

The dough takes all of five minutes to make.

My yoghurt wasn’t thick enough so I resorted to adding more flour until the stickiness disappeared.

Once they were rolled into sausage and pinched together, they almost looked like proper bakery-worthy bagels.

Liberally doused with egg wash and topped with some sesame seeds, they were ready for the oven.

25 minutes later, you wouldn’t even know they’d been made with Greek yoghurt.

There’s a faint smell reminiscent of the Brick Lane beigel shops, but when I tucked in, you could tell they were different.

They weren’t completely fluffy, but to replicate a bagel with just two ingredients, it’s an incredibly convenient alternative to splashing out on them at shops. I doubled the recipe to make eight.

Homemade Protein Bagels

Ingredients

• 120g self-raising bread flour
• 240g thick 0% Greek yoghurt
• 1 egg, for wash
• Optional toppings: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion or garlic, cracked black pepper

Method

In a bowl, combine the flour and yoghurt, season with a pinch of salt, and mix with a fork until the dough starts to form. Then, use your hands to bring it together.

Knead the dough for 30 seconds to a minute until you have a smooth, non-sticky dough. Divide into four equal-sized pieces, roll into sausages and form the ends to seal well. Or make a disc and form a hole in the middle.

Brush the bagels with an egg wash and sprinkle on your toppers. Bake at 180c fan in the air fryer or 190c fan oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Slice in half, then toast to enjoy. Eat immediately or freeze.