Make Bagels

Bagels are among some of the most versatile foods, beaten only by bread. There are so many things you can do with a bagel, from making a pizza to a nice breakfast. Making bagels, though, is more than easy, it's fun!

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons, instant yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon, dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups, room temperature water
  • 1 Tablespoon, salt
  • 4 cups, bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons, baking soda
  • About ½ cup cornmeal & flour for dusting

Steps

  1. Mix the yeast in a large bowl with the brown sugar and the warm water. Stir in the salt and flour, ensuring all the flour is well hydrated. Knead the dough 5-7 minutes, until it is smooth. Cover the bowl and set aside for 2 hours.
  2. Lightly dust a cutting board with flour. Turn out the dough onto a floured board. With a dough knife, cut a 4oz portion and mold into a ball. Allow the dough balls to rest 5 minutes. Pierce the ball with your finger and rotate the dough around until the hole is of desired size. Set the bagel on a cornmeal-flour dusted sheet tray and repeat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 450 F or 232 C. Dust another baking sheet with a mixture of cornmeal and flour.
  4. Fill a large, wide pot two-thirds full of water, and bring to a boil with the baking soda. Drop the bagels in batches into the water; they must not touch. Boil on one side for 2 minutes. Turn the bagels and boil on the second side for 1½ minutes. They should firm and puff up. Carefully remove from the water and drain for 1 minute on a rack.
  5. Place the bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Immediately place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the sheet tray 90 and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the bagels are tan to medium brown. The finished bagel should reach 185 on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the baking sheets and cool for 30 minutes before attempting to cut.
  6. Finished.

Tips

  • Add a whisked egg and some warm honey to the mixture for a sweet, crispy bagel. Note that this will make the bagel a bit hotter than normal, so once removed from the oven, refrigerate in a paper bag immediately.
  • For a more savory bagel, add pumpernickel and a dash of pepper
  • The quick dip in the water ensures the authentic taste of a true bagel; the interior is tender and flavorful.

Warnings

  • Cooling is a necessary part of making bagels. Cool for, at very least, 30 minutes. If possible, refrigerate in a tightly closed and sealed paper bag.

Related Articles

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Make_Bagels&oldid=305334"