Bagels: Success and Failure.

So since I've been missing Denver lately, and craving a bagel, I decided to make bagels this weekend. This again reaffirms my credentials of being Jewish by association. (For other credentials please see ZBT membership and my reference Peter Belsky at the New York Deli News).

And Durham needs a good bagel shop. Bruggers is just bruggers. It will do. Whole foods is ok but I personally think Weaver Street in carrborro makes better bagles. I haven't tried Mad Hatters yet. Bagels at Parker and Otis are good. I really want to try this shop in Chapel Hill called Bagels on the Hill. The Indy rated them the best. Then again, I just need to convince Peter or Mom to send me bagels or get out to Denver.

Anyway, used this nifty recipe from Tummywise, which is also a great blog that I will need to start following.

This whole bagel baking business is my first adventure into actually having to use yeast and kneading dough. So I was a little worried at first, but it all worked out ok. All in all, I had a lot of fun doing it and can't wait to do it again when the school year starts so I can actually make for people. It will sort of be odd though as none of us will have morning classes. All the first year MPPers will have morning classes. Feel sorry for them. So friends will just have to have bagels for lunch or save them till the next day for breakfast.

So success and failure with the bagels. is because I got about 4 of 11 to come out and actually look like bagels, 3 that sort of looked like bagels and 5 that were completely flat cause I flattened them to much before boiling/baking them. Hahaha, so yes, success and failure. And no I am not posting pictures of the failures. Next time I need to remember just to press them ever so slightly before boiling them. Also probably need to let the dough rise for more than an hour. I'm thinking hour and a half next time, and also 15-20 minutes once each individual bagel is shapped.


Here is the recipe. It tastes ok, but something is still missing taste wise. I will argue it is the best bagels in Durham at the moment/till the are gone because they are home-made. LoL. Yah right. I wish I was that talented.

This recipe yields 10 bagels, adapted from Jo Goldenberg's Parisian Bagel

3 1/2 cups bread flour [I ran out of bread flour and used half all­-purpose flour]
1 3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons, sugar
1/2 tablespoon, salt
1 1/2 cups, hot water (about 50 degrees)
3 litres water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg white – beaten with 1 teaspoon, water
cornmeal for sprinkling on the baking sheet

Instructions:
1) In a mixing bowl measure 3 cups of the flour and stir in all the remaining dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water, and stir vigorously with a plastic spoon for about 2 minutes.
2) Add the remaining half­ cup of flour, a little at a time, stirring by hand. When the batter becomes thick and heavy, lift the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface for kneading by hand.
3) Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Add flour as needed if the dough is sticky in your hands.
4) First Rising: When dough is kneaded enough, place it in an oiled mixing bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature until it has doubled in volume – about 1 hour.
5) Near the end of this rising time, bring the 3 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar; then, reduce the heat and leave the water just barely moving – at a slow simmer.
6) When the dough has doubled in volume, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and punch it down with extended fingers to remove excess gas.
7) Divide the dough into 10 pieces (each will weigh about 3­4 ounces). Shape each piece into a ball. Allow the balls to stand and relax for a few minutes – then flatten each one with the palm of your hand.
8) With your thumb, press deep into the center of the bagel and tear the depression open with your fingers. Pull the hole open, pull it down over a finger and smooth the rough edges. It should look like a bagel! Form all of the bagels and place them on your work surface.
9) Cover the shaped bagels with wax paper or parchment paper. Leave them
at room temperature just until the dough has risen slightly – about 10 minutes (this is called a “half proof”).
10) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
11) Grease a baking sheet with shortening (or use a non­stick baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with “Silpat” or similar material) and sprinkle the baking sheet with cornmeal.
12) Into the gently simmering water prepared earlier, slip one bagel at a time (use a large skimmer, and gently lower them into the water). Simmer only 2 or 3 bagels at a time – do not crowd the pan. The bagels will sink and then rise again after a few seconds. Simmer gently for one minute, turning each bagel over once during that time. Lift each bagel out of the water with the skimmer, drain briefly on a towel, then place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels are simmered, drained and on the baking sheet.
13) Brush each bagel lightly with the egg­ white­-water mixture.
14) Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 25­30 minutes. When brown and shiny, remove the finished bagels from the oven. Place the bagels on a metal rack to cool.