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Ingredients
- 6 c. (2 lbs; 900 g) white high gluten flour (Shepard’s Grain, King Arthur, etc.)
- 1 packet (1/4-1/3 oz; 10 g.) instant yeast (Saf-Instant – available at Cash & Carry-can
- freeze the yeast)
- 2 Tb (1 oz; 30 g.) refined sea salt (not Morton’s)
- 1/4 c. (2 oz; 60 g.) sugar (regular granulated)
- 1/3 c. dry milk powder (organic, non-fat milk power)
- 1/4 c. (2 oz; 60 g.) sugar (regular granulated)
- 1 c. (12 oz.; 350 g) sourdough starter (or additional 6 oz flour + 6 oz water)
- 1/3 c. (3 oz; 100 g.) barley malt syrup (plus additional for boiling
- (get medium or dark – buy at Steinbart’s -234 SE 12th or natural food place)
- 1 1/2 c. (16 oz; 450 g) water
- Semolina flour for dusting.
Preparation
Step 1
In a bowl of heavy duty mixer, combine dry ingredients and mix a bit. Add remaining ingredients, holding back a little of the water. Mix at lowest speed to incorporate (approx. 2-3 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Increase mixer speed to medium low and mix for another 2-3 minutes. If needed, add the remaining water (and more if necessary) a little at a time until a fairly firm, but tack and elastic down has formed (moderately tacky, not too sticky, not dry – does not stick to fingers. Adjust – don’t be slave to recipe – add small amounts at a time.) Continue to mix another 2-3 minutes to develop the dough. (If mixer begins to strain or stops, discontinue mixing and finish by hand.) 10-12 minutes total.
Turn dough out to work surface, which should be lightly floured or unfloured altogether, depending on how wet the dough is. Using bench scraper, cut down and measure on scale – each piece should be 3 to 3 1/2 ounces. With a firm, but gentle effort, use two hands to roll out each piece on unfloured surface (start with one hand on back of other on middle of piece, then move outwards as middle thins) into a 10-12” rope. Form bagel shape by encircling back of hand with solid portion of rope and overlapping ends by about an 1 – 1 1/2” in palm. Then roll overlapped ends under palm on work surface until ring is formed. (While forming, cover other pieces with damp cloth to prevent drying.) As each is formed, place on baking sheet lived with semolina-dusted parchment or silicon mat. Each baking sheet should hold about a dozen (or 1 with a dozen and one with 6) bagels. Once sheet is full, cover with dry linen (or other lint free) cloth and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. (If using spare fridge with not much other food in it, it is not necessary to cover the bagels. DO NOT ever cover in plastic or put in plastic bags. Store in paper bags after cooking.
Once bagels have fully chilled, preheat oven to 450 (drop temp 25 degrees if cooking with convection – if want steam, put cast iron skillet in oven during preheat and, after bagels are in, drop some ice cubes in and shut door).
Cook bagels cold directly from fridge.
Fill a large stock pot three quarters full of water (NO SALT) and bring to rolling boil. Add few tablespoons of barley malt syrup to water until water is medium caramel colored (color of coca-cola in pot – caramel colored if you pull it out). Prepare additional baking sheets for use, lining with silicon pan liners or parchment paper. Put folded towels by stove to drain bagels on. NOTE: Have assembly line set up – bagels -> boiling water -> towels -> topping (if adding) -> parchment covered baking sheet.
Place chilled bagel forms one or two at a time into boiling water. Boil each side for 10 seconds (they should sink to bottom and then rise – then turn. But don’t count on this – might want to edge them off bottom if they stick). Remove with Chinese strainer to towels (semolina side down) to absorb excess water, then place upside down in any topping you want – poppy seeds, sesame seeds, chopped roasted onion or garlic. If salt, then sprinkle with salt, don’t dip – and then place on sheets. Once sheet is full (six on each sheet is ideal for normal sheet pans, reduce oven temp to 425 and place in oven to bake. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, turning once or twice, until bagels are a deep (or dark) golden brown.
Move hot bagels to cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before eating. Bagels are best if eaten within a day, if left or, or they can be frozen. Do not put in fridge. Good for a day or two if left out in paper bags; good the 3rd day if toasted. After 4th day, toss.