Bagels

Bagels use a much lower hydration dough than other lean dough recipes, and are also boiled before being baked. The result is a cripsy and blistered exterior with a bouncy interior. Eat within an hour of baking for the best results.

Ingredients

Creates 8 bagels:

• 500g bread flour

• 300g water (60% hydration)

• 20g honey

• 10g salt

• 8g instant yeast

Boiling water:

• Baking soda

• Honey

• Salt

Toppings:

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Chilli flakes

• Garlic powder

• Parmesan

• Dried herbs

• Any other toppings of choice

Directions

Forming the dough:

1. Firstly, create a ‘yukone’ (which is a cooked flour paste) by gently heating 100g flour and 170g of water in a pan on the hob. Whisk until a slightly thick, mashed potato type consitency paste is formed (about 2 minutes).

2. Combine the rest of the flour and water, the honey, salt, yeast and yukone into a food processor and combine. This dough is quite dry, so it may take a while for gluten to develop and for it to be supple enough to perform a window paning test. Keep combining until it passes the window paning test, and leave to rest covered in a bowl for an hour or so.

3. Form into 8 boules, cover and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes. 

4. Form the boules into 8 bagel rings. The best method for this is to flatten the dough out into a disk, then roll into a tube. Roll the tube out by rolling left hand forward and right hand backwards (twisting the dough into a thinner tube), until it is long enough to wrap round the hand. Pinch the 2 ends tightly together, and then roll the ring off your hand. 

5. Place the rings on a cornmeal lined baking sheet and cover. Leave to rise for a further hour. 

Cooking the bagels:

6. Boil a large pot of water and add 1 tbsp baking soda, 1 tbsp salt and 2 tbsp honey. 

7. Once boiling, drop the ring into the water in batches. Boil each ring for 45 seconds on one side, flip and then boil for another 45 seconds. Shake off excess water and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

8. Brush the bagels with an egg wash and add toppings of choice. A good topping is a mix of parmesan, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, garlic powder and dried herbs.

9. Place in a 240°C pre-heated oven and bake for 12 minutes. At the 6 minute mark, rotate the baking sheet to allow even browning. 

10. Leave to rest for 5/10 minutes, and eat whilst still fresh for best results.