A bagel is a bread family product. Its made of yeast and wheat dough which is hand shaped, boiled in hot water then baked for a while. This gives the bagel its dense and chewy and doughy inside and a usually brown and crispy outside. The finished bagel is usually topped off with seeds baked on the outer crust. Traditionally sesame or poppy seeds are used. Some bagels might be sprinkled with salt on the surface. Bagels these days are made with different kinds of dough, such as rye or whole grain types. Different toppings and fillings also make bagels a unique food in different places. In this guide we will learn how to make bagels at home.
Ingredients required:
- 3 tablespoons of instant yeast
- 5 tablespoons of sugar (preferable dark brown sugar)
- 3 cups of plain water
- 2 tablespoon salt
- 8 cups of bread flour
- 4 teaspoons of baking soda
- half a cup of corn meal and flour to dust
- large bowl
- cutting board
- large pot
Method:
Pour the yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Pour the water in and stir till mixed well. Add the flour and mix further making sure the flour is hydrated properly. Add salt to taste. Keep kneading the dough for about 10 minutes or till its smooth. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave it aside for about 2 hours.
Prepare your cutting board by dusting it lightly with flour. Take out the dough from the bowl and lay it out on the board. Cut about 40z portions and mold them into balls. Allow these dough balls to rest for about 5-10 minutes. Using your finger make a hole in the balls and rotate to get the desired shape and size. Set this uncooked bagel on a tray dusted with cornmeal flour. Cover with a clean cloth or paper and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to about 230C or 450F. Take out a baking sheet and dust it with cornmeal and flour mixture.
Take the large pot and fill it up to 2/3rd with water and keep it on the stove. Add baking soda and bring it to a boil. Now slowly and carefully drop the bagels one by one into the pot. Make sure they don’t touch each other. Boil each side for about 2 minutes. They will now become firm and puff up slightly. Remove them from the water and drain them for about a minute on a rack.
Now place these bagels on the baking sheet prepared before hand. Place this sheet in an oven and bake for around 15 minutes. Now rotate the sheet 90 degrees and cook it again for about 5 minutes. The bagels should now a little tanned to medium brown in color. If not bake for another few minutes. Take the bagels out and cool them for about 30-45 minutes before cutting them.
Tips:
Add whisked eggs and a little bit of warm honey to make the bagels crispy and sweet. If you do this then make sure you refrigerate the bagels after removing them from the oven.
To make is spicier add pumpernickel and some pepper to the dough.
Dipping the bagel in water ensures an authentic taste to the bagel and makes the interior flavorful and tender.
Cooling is an important process and should not be skipped. For better cooling place bagels inside a tightly sealed paper bag.
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