This is a recipe for perfect bagels, if you like them the old-fashioned way. These are both pleasantly chewy, and tasty and aromatic thanks to the barley malt syrup. My only adjustment in the basic quantities: reduce the salt by 1/3rd to 2 TSP for eight bagels or 1 tablespoon for 12. I also divide the water and dissolve the salt in part of it. One more trick: whisking yeast into part of the lukewarm water is effective in dissolving and starting it. The protein level of the flour affects the outcome; if you use an all purpose flour you might want to slightly increase gluten; a bread flour (higher protein) does not require any extra. For a softer bagel, reduce the amount of gluten.
Homemade Bagels
MAKES 8
With more and more impostors crowding the marketplace, we thought it crucial to develop our own authentic bagel recipe.
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
3 tbsp. barley malt
4 tsp. wheat gluten
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. cornmeal
1. Mix together yeast, 2 tbsp. barley malt, and 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 80°) in the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook. Meanwhile, sift together gluten, flour, and salt into a bowl. Sift twice more, then add flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, to yeast mixture, beating at the lowest speed until you've added all the flour and the dough is rough- looking and just barely holding together, about 4 minutes. Increase speed to medium- slow and continue mixing until dough forms a smooth, stiff ball, 8–10 minutes.
2. Put dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 equal pieces (about 4 oz. each), then roll into smooth balls. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes.
3. Shape each ball into a thick, 11''-long rope. Form into bagels by overlapping the ends of each rope by about 1 1/2'', dampening with a little water to hold the ends together. Then place on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 10 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 450°. Adjust oven rack fitted with a baking stone to center position. Remove dough rings from refrigerator. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add remaining barley malt, then drop rings, 3 or 4 at a time, into boiling water for 30 seconds. Turn over with a large skimmer and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove rings from water and drain, bottom side down, on a wire rack.
5. Slide boiled rings onto the baking stone in the oven and bake until deep golden brown and crisp, about 14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ratings & Reviews (2)
I have been making these since the orig. article in 1998. I too reduced the salt. It's a good recipe. I found the bagels quite dense so I removed them from the refrig. 90 min. before the boil and they rose a little more and were a little lighter.
Homemade Bagels
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