It's been a long time since I've been to this space, but what an awesome way to come back: BAGELS!
I love a good New York City bagel. In fact, Rockland Bakery is my favorite place to stop when I'm in the area. I could eat a dozen of their fresh bagels in a single sitting! (I won't, but I really want to!). In fact, when I was pregnant with Michael, all I wanted to do was visit the Bakery and get a bagel off the conveyer belt. It was a dream come true and totally worth the wait!
As I reembrace homemaking and, perhaps in the near future, homesteading, I decided bagels were something to attempt. My teenage daughter loves them, my husband loves them, my mother-in-law loves them... Bagels for the win! Peter says they are the best he's had from around here (a big kudos from a kid who grew up on NY bagels and thinks the only "real" bagels come from around "The City"), my mother-in-law (a Bronx native) loved biting into a fresh one and put in her request for the next batch, and Maya told me they are a 7 on the "Rockland Bakery Scale", which is a like a 15 on a normal 1-10. :)
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| Mom didn't even wait until they were fully cooled! |
Bagels
(makes 1 dozen)
Mix together 2 1/4 cups of warm water (about 110 degrees) with 4 1/2 tsp yeast in a mixing bowl (of a stand mixer if you have it). Let it sit for 5 minutes. (Using regular yeast will deliver a chewier, denser bagel; using quick acting yeast makes a fluffier inside.)
Mix together 6 cups bread flour (I use King Arthur 12.7%) with 1 tbsp sea salt and 1 1/2 tbsp barley malt syrup (I use Sanniti.) Some recipes you see may show sugar being used. I strongly suggest investing in some barley malt syrup. It makes a HUGE difference. Mix your flour mix in your stand mixture with the dough hook for 2-3 minutes, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Remove the dough to a floured bowl or board and hand knead for 5-8 minutes, until well formed. The dough should return from a touch. (Be careful to not over knead.) When this happens, place the dough in a large bowl greased with olive oil and cover.
Let rest and rise for 90 minutes. With traditional yeast, you will see a rise, but it likely will not double. With quick yeast, you will see a doubling. After 90 minutes, press the dough down, then divide into 12, even pieces. Create a ring (with the traditional hole in the middle) and let the dough rest while you form all 12 pieces and create your water bath.
In a pot, mix together 2 liters of water (Want to make them extra NYC special? Use water from the Catskills!) and 1/4 cup barley malt syrup. Bring the water to a boil then lower the temp to keep the boil from rolling. On my stove, this is around a number 7 or medium-high. Drop the bagels in the water so that they have room to move (This could be anywhere from 2 to 4. I use a Le Creuset small dutch, and 3 is really the max.) Boil for 1 minute on each side, then remove to a rack. Brush the top and sides with an egg wash created from 1 egg white and 2 tbsp warm water whisked together. (If you want to do a vegan alternative, you can whisk together 2 tbsp warm water with 2 tbsp of a vegan spread, like Earth Balance.)
If you want to add toppings, now is the time. I have done everything seasonings (onion, poppy, sesame, garlic, salt), white sesame, and (minced, dried) onion. Take a bowl or plate with whatever seasonings you want, then take the freshly boiled and egg-washed bagel and rub the top in it.
In a preheated, 425 degree oven and on a greased baking sheet, bake your bagels for 12 minutes then rotate the baking pan for another 12 minutes. Remove the bagels and cool for 20 minutes before cutting into them. (If you can wait that long!)
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| some plain and everything bagels |
These will sit out fine for about a week. If they last any longer than that, you can freeze them.
Enjoy!
makes 48 cookies
