Carolyn Markham wrote:
>I tried making bagels from the Bread Baker's Apprentice today. The flavor
>was wonderful and the crust was nice and chewy. But they were soggy in spots.
When I wanted to make bagels, I started with George Greenstein's "Secrets
of a Jewish Baker", and then converted his recipe to sourdough. They have
been very popular in this area, and a number of transplanted New Yorkers
have all but wept in gratitude for the first "real" bagels they've had
since they moved to this area (Gunnison and Crested Butte Colorado).
There are two basic schools of bagels, the heavy as a rock New York style
and the light and fluffy California style. I don't care for the California
style. You should have to fight with your bagel to eat it. You should
develop your jaw strength with bagels. Well, maybe that's an
exaggeration.... but not much of one.
The big problem with bagels is that the use a very, very stiff dough.
Usually about 50% hydration. Only a thin crust pizza dough I make is as
stiff. I don't make it by hand, and don't suggest anyone else do so. Most
of our doughs get mixed for 5 minutes, rest for 5, and then mixed for
another 5 (all in a 30 quart Hobart mixer). In the case of the bagel and
pizza dough, the numbers are 5-5-10.
I am not sure I'd use a KitchenAid, or other home grade, mixer to make
bagels. If I did, I'd certainly let the machine rest between batches.
The next key to bagels is an overnight retarding. This lets the flavor
develop fully. I tried Jeffery Hammelman's recipe in his book, and thought
it was a total disaster. The dough, at 58% hydration, was way to wet, and
the flavor never really developed for me.
Flour is also an essential consideration. Many people use an ultra-high
gluten flour. My feeling is that these flours are universally lacking in
taste. I use GM's All Trumps Flour. If you are west of the Mississippi
there is a non-bromated version of this flour. It delivers exceptional
taste. If memory serves, it's about 14.2% protein.
The next to final key is malt extract. Both in the bagel and in the boil
water.
The final key is the boil. If it ain't boiled, it ain't a bagel. So,
here's my recipe for plain sourdough bagels. All measurements are in
grams. This recipe will make about 12 4oz bagels. (Yeah, it's a bit odd
to measure in grams, and deliver ounces. Measuring grams is easier, but
customers want to buy ounces in the USA.
Grams Item
910 Flour
21.5 Salt
31.4 Diastatic Malt Powder
430 Water
16.2 Oil (I prefer to use olive oil here, but other oils are OK)
77 Sourdough starter at 100% hydration, active and ready for use
Knead 5 minutes at first speed (kneading speed on a KitchenAid), let the
dough rest 5 minutes, knead 10 more minutes at first speed. The dough
should be well developed.
If you want to make onion or cinnamon-raisin bagels, this is a good time to
knead in a few tablespoons of dehydrated minced onion, or a tablespoon of
cinnamon sugar (I use cinnamon and brown sugar) and a similar amount of
raisins.
Let the dough rise for about 2 hours. It probably won't double, though it
may... it's a stiff dough. It should pass the finger-poke test. (If you
flour a finger and poke the dough, the dough should not spring back.)
Cut into 12 pieces. Now we have a bit of debate. There are two ways to
form bagels. Both have their adherents.
Method 1: Roll the dough into balls. Let it rest about 15 minutes. Pick up
a dough ball, put both thumbs and forefingers on the doughball, and then
move the doughball so the "pincer" formed by each thumb and forefinger is
very much centered on the doughball. Now poke a hole through the dough
with the thumb and forefinger of both hands. Withdraw the thumbs, and
twirl your hands to stretch the dough into a donut/bagel like shape. When
training new bakers, I suggest they stretch them as far as they can. When
they go to far, the dough will develop flat spots and may tear. Now don't
go quite that far next time. The dough should snap back a bit, shrinking
the bagel and it's center hole. You may need to stretch just a bit farther
than you'd like to get the hole the size you want.
Method 2: Roll the dough into a cylinder about 9 to 10 inches long
depending on the size bagel you are making, two ounce bagels aren't as
long, 6 ounce bagels are longer). Wrap the cylinder around your hand, then
press the seam where the ends meet and roll it to seal it. Add a few drops
of water if needed.
Put a liner in your sheet pan, and spray that with a releasing agent such
as PAM, Baker's Joy, Vegelene or whatever. Put the bagels onto a lined
sheet pan, about 12 per pan. Cover them with saran wrap. Let them rest
overnight in a refrigerator.
In the morning, preheat your oven to 425F. Bring a pot of water to a boil,
and add a few tablespoons of dry malt extract to each gallon of
water. Drop the bagels into the water, but don't crowd the pan.
If you didn't spray the sheet pan liner, the bagels may stick. Our dirty
pool solution was to drop the liner and the bagels into the water.
The bagels will separate from the liner in seconds.
The bagels should sink, and then float up in 10 to 20 seconds. If they
float at once, that's OK, though not ideal. If they show no signs of
floating, use a slotted spoon or a flat whisk to gently pry them off the
bottom of the pot... you don't want them to stick. Boil each side about 1
minute, remove the bagels with a slotted spoon, a flat whisk, or your
preferred tool. Put them back on the sheet pan liner.
They may collapse and look wrinkly after a little while out of the oven.
That's normal. They'll (almost) always puff back up in the oven.
If you want to seed the bagels, this is the time. Dip the hot and wet
bagels into seeds, more deydrated minced onions, salt, caraway seeds, poppy
seeds, or whatever. I don't find a real need for an egg wash. The malt in
the boiling water will give a good sheen to the bagels, and if the bagels
are wet, the seeds will stick.
Once they are boiled, it's into the oven. Steam the oven generously after
you put the bagels in.
Two quick comments.... most people underbake their bagels. They shouldn't
be pale. They should be a rich brown. Next, most people's oven
thermostats are off. Use a thermometer to make sure the temperature is right.
Now then, try about 15 minutes at 425F. Feel free to bake the bagels 20
minutes.
Once they look nice, pull 'em out, let 'em cool on a rack, and then slice
'em, toast 'em, and enjoy them with lox and cream cheese.
Mike
MAvery@mail.otherwhen.com