The difference between a good bagel and a bad bagel is night and day. A good bagel has some key characteristics: it should have a blistered, bubbly, deep golden brown crust; a relatively tight and even structure with no large caverns; a very strong chew; and a subtle malty flavor.
This bagel recipe earns its chew from two sources: a long, thorough kneading process, and a shaping process that involves rolling and twisting. The bagels contain sourdough starter, rye flour, and barley malt syrup to ensure a perfect flavor. Diastatic malt powder, though optional, converts some of the starches in the flour into sugars, ensuring a browned crust. Finally, boiling the bagels before baking ensures that they cling to seeds and seasonings, form crackly crusts, and do not rise too much.
Makes 14 Medium-Sized Bagels
Ingredients
Sponge
500g water
40g barley malt syrup (or molasses)
4g (1 tsp) yeast
150g sourdough starter
300g bread flour
Bagels
550g bread flour
100g rye flour
30g diastatic malt powder (optional)
10g Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Water Bath
3 quarts water
2 tsp baking soda
60g barley malt syrup (or molasses)
Seasoning
80g everything seasoning
For the sponge
In a large bowl, mix the water, barley malt syrup, and yeast until homogeneous. Add the starter, and whisk until homogeneous. Add the bread flour, and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined and no dry flour remains. The sponge should resemble a thick pancake batter at this point. Let rise at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, until frothy and very bubbly.
For the bagels
In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, rye flour, diastatic malt powder, and kosher salt. Add the sponge and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test, 20-25 minutes. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch the dough down to deflate all bubbles. Lightly dust two 18”x13” sheet trays with flour. Using scissors, portion the dough into fourteen 116 gram pieces. Tug the dough at the edges into a tight ball, pinch the seam formed, place the dough balls on the counter, and with your hands in a claw shape, rotate the dough on the counter to form a tight ball. Place the dough balls on one of the floured sheet trays, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
To shape the bagels, work with one dough ball at a time to roll the ball into a 4-inch circle. Tightly roll the dough into a log, and using your palms, lengthen the log to 8 inches. Move your palms in opposite directions, twist the dough, then wrap around your hand, and roll the dough on the counter to seal. Place the shaped bagel on the other floured baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight, or up to 24 hours, in the fridge, until the bagels are puffed and float when dropped in a bowl of water.
20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 425°F convection or 450°F regular. If you have a convection oven setting, now is the time to use it, as it will help ensure even browning. In a dutch oven, whisk the water, barley malt syrup, and baking soda, and bring to a boil. Pour the everything seasoning into a wide, shallow bowl or dinner plate.
See the video below for shaping instructions:
Remove one tray of bagels from the fridge, but keep the other tray in the fridge.
Grease a large 13”x18” baking pan with baking spray. Drop four bagels into the boiling water, boil for 20 seconds, flip with a spider or slotted spoon, and boil for another 20 seconds. Transfer the bagels to the greased baking sheet. While still warm, flip the bagels into the everything seasoning, and place them back on the baking sheet.
Bake until the bagels are well-browned, 14-16 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Remove from the oven, let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining bagels. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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