Old Fashioned Bagels
Source of Recipe
Sunday Dinner
List of Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon malt syrup
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour (approximately - substitute up to 1/2 cup whole-
wheat
flour for an equal amount of bread flour)
Cornmeal for dusting baking sheets
Optional sesame and/or poppy seeds for topping bagels
Recipe
Combine the water, yeast and malt in the bowl of an electric mixer
fitted
with a dough hook. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, until
foamy.
Add the salt and 2 cups of the flour, and begin mixing on low speed.
As soon
as flour and water are almost combined, begin adding the remaining
flour,
1/2 cup at a time. Stop adding flour when you have a stiff dough.
Knead in
the machine until smooth and elastic. (You may want to knead it by
hand a
few times when you take it from the bowl, just to be sure everything
is
smoothly combined.)
Remove dough from bowl. Lightly oil the bowl, and return the dough to
it,
turning the dough to make sure it is all oiled. Cover with plastic
wrap and
set aside in a warm place.
Let dough rise until it has doubled in size and, when you poke it
gently
with your finger, an indentation remains.
Punch down the dough, and form according to the accompanying
instructions.
If you have a kitchen scale, check to see that each weighs about 2
ounces.
As you finish each bagel, set it on a baking sheet lightly dusted with
cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap or a cake-keeper and let rise until
double
in bulk. Refrigerate risen bagels for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. This
step
is optional but helps create a firm crust and develop the flavor.
When you are ready to bake, fill a large, wide-mouth kettle with
water. Set
over high heat. When water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, or
just
enough to keep the water simmering gently.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Dust 2 or 3 baking sheets heavily
with
cornmeal or, if you have a pizza or bread stone, prepare and heat it
according to the manufacturer's instructions.
When ready, use a slotted spoon (or a Chinese-style noodle basket) to
gently
transfer your bagels a few at a time into the boiling water, being
sure not
to let them touch. Cook for 1 minute, then turn and cook another
minute.
Remove from water with slotted spoon and set on rack to drain 1
minute.
Continue with other bagels.
After the bagels have drained, you can dip them in sesame seeds or
poppy
seeds poured out on a small, deep bowl or saucer. Set on baking sheet,
seed-side up. If you want plain bagels, just set drained bagels on
baking
sheet.
Bake 9 to 12 minutes. Open oven and quickly flip over. Shut door and
bake
another 8 to 10 minutes, until bagels are dry, crusty and golden.
Remove
from oven, and cool on rack.
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