My first bagel was eaten at the table of Michael Weiss, an old boyfriend.
I was 11.
I love all things bread. So when Michael’s mom gave us bagels and a block of cream cheese, I was as intrigued as a bear facing its first salmon.
I’d also never eaten straight cream cheese before, either.
It was a complete, unqualified success. I went home and begged/demanded my mother begin stocking the larder with bagels and cream cheese for schmearing.
The Kid has loved bagels since I handed them out, fresh out of the freezer, to soothe tender, teething gums.
This week, my child, in quarantine, made a batch. The recipe is from Seriouseats.com.
We were lucky enough to be gifted a couple. Guess what we had for dinner that night?
Thanks for your time.
Contact me at dm@bullcity.mom.
Serious Eats Bagels
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 25 hours
For the Yukone:
3/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup bread flour
For the Dough:
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (for table salt, use half as much)
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast, not RapidRise or active dry
1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon ounces water
To boil:
4 teaspoons barley malt syrup, or an equal amount of honey
For the yukone: In 10-inch skillet, whisk water and flour over medium heat until thick, like mashed potatoes, about 2 minutes. Scrape onto plate, spread into a 1-inch layer, cover, and cool until to about 75°F, around 30 minutes.
For dough: Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in food processor fitted with metal blade. Once combined, add cooled yukone and water. Process until dough is silky smooth, and a small piece can be stretched into a sheet without tearing; about 90 seconds. The exact timing will vary with power and capacity of a given machine. For smaller machines, the reduced capacity and power will necessitate dividing dough in half to process in stages.
To shape: Turn dough onto clean, un-floured surface, divide into 8 roughly equal portions, and cover with plastic. Cup a portion of dough beneath your palm and work in quick, circular motions to form tight ball, with only a tiny seam along bottom. If seam is large or irregular, continue rounding until bottom is nearly smooth. Keep shaped dough covered in plastic and let rest 15 minutes.
To form bagels, poke a hole into the center of each portion with a damp fingertip, then gently stretch into 3 ¼-inch ring, wetting your hands in cold water as needed to prevent sticking. Arrange on well-greased, parchment-lined half sheet pan, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours, depending on your schedule.
To boil: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 425°. Fill stainless steel pot with about 3 inches of water, stir in barley malt syrup, and bring to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, line baking sheet or cutting board with thick layer of paper towels. Working two or three at a time, boil bagels about 30 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels for two or three seconds, then transfer to parchment-lined half sheet pan (if left on paper towels too long, bagels will stick; if this happens, quickly dip bagel back into hot water, and the wet paper towel will peel right off).
To finish: Bake bagels until blistered and golden brown all over, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes. To serve, split horizontally with serrated knife. Uncut, bagels can be stored up to 48 hours in paper bag (or loosely wrapped in parchment), then sliced and briefly toasted to serve.