Bagels

My kids love to eat bagels for breakfast so I decided to make them.

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I took this recipe from My Recipes which is quick and easy to make. In less than 2 hours, you are done.

The first time, I used the measurement given in cups. The result was fine but the dough was a little too dense.

The second time, I used the measurement given in ounces and made small adjustments. My bagels were much better and little chewy.

These are my little tweaks to this recipe:

• It is perfectly fine to use Agave instead of barley malt syrup. From what I understand, the barley malt syrup gives more flavor to the bagel.
• To poach my bagels I used brown sugar instead of regular sugar and add some baking soda in the water.
• I try to create some steam in my oven like I do for my bread so the bagels have a nice crust. To do so, I first preheat my oven with an empty heavy pan (or you can use the oven broiler pan) positioned in the lower part of the oven.  When I am ready to put my bagels inside I pour some hot water or a half dozen of ice cubes in the pan and spray some water on the door to give some steam and close the door quickly. When I rotate the pans I spray the door again and quickly close until my bagels are golden.
• It is also great to be able to add more seeds on the other side of the bagel. Bagels from the store always miss this part.
• I read that to have really chewy bagels, you need to use high gluten flour, but you cannot find this type of flour in a grocery store. I will say that bread flour worked just fine for me (I tend to use either King Arthur or Bob's Mill for this recipe).

I can tell that my kids didn't miss the bagels from the store anymore at all. They want me to try some others flavors. Stay tuned...

Bagels

Francoise

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups warm filtered water
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 28.5 ounces bread flour
• 1 tablespoon agave or honey or brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 white egg
• 12 cups water
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• Combine 2 cups of warm filtered water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of agave or honey in a measuring cup. Let it rest for 5 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface.
• Weigh on a scale 28.13 ounces flour. Add the flour, salt, and the yeast mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix dough at low speed for 6 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead 2 minutes or until smooth and elastic; add enough of remaining ¼ cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
• Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes (I put mine in a lightly preheated oven).
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), shape each portion into a ball.
• Make a hole in the center of each ball using your index finger. Using fingers of both hands, gently pull dough away from center to make a 1 ½-inch hole. Place bagels on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat bagels with cooking spray; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 30 minutes (bagels will rise only slightly).
• Place a heavy pan on lower part of the oven and preheat to 450°.
• Combine 12 cups water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ cup brown sugar in a big sauce pan or Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Gently lower 3 bagels into pan. Cook for one side 1mn30 than flip the bagels and continue to cook 1mn30. Transfer the bagels to a wire rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining bagels, working in batches of 3.
• Beat the white egg and brush each Bagels (this allow seeds to stick better to Bagels). Then return them in sesame seeds.
• Divide the bagels between two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Pour some hot water in the heavy pan or throw a half dozen of ice cubes. Put the bagels inside the oven and spray the door with some water and close the door quickly.
• Bake at 450° for 7 minutes. Rotate pans, spray again the door close quickly and bake for 7 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

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