I made them with Sunday School kids for many years. Kids often can't pinch them firmly enough causing the bagels to uncoil into all kinds of snake-like shapes - but they tasted great.
It takes a while to get the hang of shaping. But the point is that they taste good! The son & the daughter grew up on them. One Sunday when I was making a double (thank heaven) batch, he at 6 in a row. He stopped waiting for me to slice them in half, and just gnawed them down whole. Believe me, he wouldn't have cared what they looked like.
Don't try to double the recipe, even in a large KitchenAid. After the bagels are shaped, an overnight rest in the fridge does wonders for them. The dough is sticky -- even parchment paper will stick to shaped bagel unless it's oiled, making a huge, misshapen -- but still tasty -- bagel.
You definitely need HG flour, as pierino advises. My blog post tells you how to make your own if you can't find it commercially. http://thesolitarycook.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/lets-bake-bagels-part-1/
The 40-second boiling time gelatinizes proteins on the surface to effect that gorgeous shine, and also to add texture to the crust. Be careful not to over-boil them, as they'll turn tough rather than chewy.
I recently moved to the midwest from the east coast and can't find a good bagel. Plus it just looks like fun to make your own. Looking forward to attempting this. Thanks for the tips!
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The 40-second boiling time gelatinizes proteins on the surface to effect that gorgeous shine, and also to add texture to the crust. Be careful not to over-boil them, as they'll turn tough rather than chewy.
My hints:
Rising dough won't necessarily double
When bagels are dropped in the barley malt/salt water mixture if the bagel doesn't float the dough didn't rise enough
To make dough darker and shiny add a pinch of baking soda to waterbath mix too.
The longer they simmer the chewier they will become.
Be sure and pinch-well after shaping. They will try to come apart if you don't.
http://thesolitarycook.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/lets-bake-bagels-part-1/