Plain Bagels Food

THE REAL NEW YORK BAGEL RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium/large bowl or pot, stir the sponge together with a whisk or wooden spoon. Make sure to get all dry materials mixed in well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for 2+ hours.
• After sponge is bubbly with small holes at the top and about 2 hours have gone by, pour sponge into your mixing bowl.
• Attach dough hook. Then add all ingredients listed for dough. Flour can be added gradually as mixer is going.
• Knead with dough hook for approximately 10 minutes or until dough looks smooth and is not too sticky. Dough should be quite stiff (add more flour if needed).
• Turn out on counter and knead by hand for a few minutes. (More if your mixer couldn't handle the kneading for very long). Make sure dough does not stick to fingers to get to proper consistency.
• Divide dough with a knife into 12 equal pieces about 4.5 oz. each. make into "balls". Cover to rest with plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
• Shape each ball into a bagel by pushing your thumb(s) through the middle.
• then using your two index fingers in the hole, make fast circular motions, stretching the hole out a bit. Don't worry if they are not perfect.
• Place bagels on sheet pans or cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray oil. Leave an inch or so on all sides.
• Let rise under plastic wrap for 20 minutes then place in refrigerator.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
• Pull pans from fridge, get a large pot (4 quarts) of water on the boil and preheat the oven to 500 deg. F. move racks to the top of the oven.
• Add 1 T. baking soda to water (this increases the color depth and flavor of the bagel while baking).
• When water is boiling, pull 2-3 bagels at a time gently and place them upside down in the water.
• Boil for 30 seconds then flip over with a large slotted spoon or similar and repeat for other side. (if perchance your bagels have had time to warm up from the fridge the boiling time decreases--if your bagels are coming out of the boiling water looking too flat, decrease the boiling time on each side but always go a minimum of 15 seconds per side).
• Remove each bagel with spoon and slide off on to a large clean cotton cloth (flour sack type material not terry cloth) for draining.
• Repeat with all other bagels.
• Place parchment paper in your sheet pans or cookie sheets.
• Spread corn meal evenly and lightly on parchment paper.
• Place moist, warm bagels gently on corn meal. You can place them touching one another. Sometimes we like our bagels plain with no toppings, if you do, skip the next couple steps --.
• Make an egg wash with 1 egg mixed with approx 1/2 cup of water and when well-mixed, brush across tops of bagels. If you don't like a slightly eggy taste, you could brush with just egg whites mixed with a bit of water. This will help hold topping on.
• Sprinkle with desired toppings (I like toasted sesame seeds and poppy seeds the best, but this could include a dizzying number of different toppings-whatever you like).
• Turn oven down to 450 deg F. as you place pan(s) in oven.
• Bake for 5-7 minutes then turn pan around and switch pans on racks as necessary.
• Bake for another 5-10 minutes turning as necessary and repeat this until all bagels are evenly deep golden brown. Total cooking time will be 20-25 minutes until all are evenly deep golden.
• Remove from oven, let cool on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for at least 15 minutes (ok, 5 minutes!) before devouring.

REAL HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/4 cup water, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, vegetable oil, and yeast in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed using the dough hook until well-developed, about 8 minutes. To ensure the gluten has developed fully, cut off a walnut-sized piece of dough. Flour your fingers, and then stretch the dough: if it tears immediately, the dough needs more kneading. Fully developed dough should form a thin translucent "windowpane."
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let rise for 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down, place it on a lightly floured work surface, and use a knife or dough scraper to divide the dough into 6 pieces (or more, for smaller bagels). Roll each piece of dough into a sausage shape about 6 inches long. Join the ends to form a circle. Repeat with the remaining dough, and let the bagels rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange small plates with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and onion flakes next to the baking sheet.
• Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add honey, if desired (see Editor's Note). Boil the bagels, three at a time, until they rise to the surface of the pot, about 1 minute per side. Remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Dip the tops of the wet bagels into the toppings and arrange them, seeds up, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven until the bagels begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

PLAIN BAGELS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients to make a smooth elastic dough.
• Let rise until double. Punch down.
• Divide dough into four parts. Divide each part into three pieces.
• Make a 1-2 inch hole in center of each piece.
• Pull gently all the way around to form circles.
• Heat 2 qts water and 2 TBSP sugar to boiling.
• Place a few bagels at a time in boiling water.
• Simmer 3 minutes, turning once.
• Remove with slotted spoon.
• Place on greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from cookie sheet and cool.

WATER BAGELS (PLAIN)

Steps:

• In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast.
• Gradually add warm water to dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer (at medium speed), scrape bowl occasionally.
• Add 1/2 cup flour.
• Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups).
• Turn dough on to a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Place dough in ungreased bowl, cover and let rise in warm, draft free place for 20 minutes.
• (Dough will NOT be doubled in bulk.) Punch dough down and turn out on to a lightly floured board.
• Roll dough into a rectangle, 12 x 10 inches.
• Cut dough into 12 equal strips, 1 x 10 inches each.
• Pinch ends of strips together to form a circle.
• Place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Cover and let rise in warm, draft free place for 20 minutes.
• (Dough will NOT be doubled in bulk.) In a large shallow pan, boil a 1 3/4 inch depth of water.
• Lower heat and add a few bagels at a time.
• Simmer bagels for 7 minutes (3 1/2 minutes on each side).
• Remove bagels from water and place on a towel to cool.
• Cool bagels for 5 minutes, then place them on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake bagels at 375°F for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat egg white with cold water.
• Remove bagels from oven and brush with egg white/water mixture.
• Return bagels to oven and bake about 20 minutes longer, or until done.
• Remove bagels from baking sheets and cool on wire rack.

THERMOMIX PLAIN BAGELS

Steps:

• Place water, sugar, yeast, oil and salt in TM bowl. Mix 5 minutes/37deg/speed 3.
• Add flour, set lid to closed position. Mix 3 minutes/speed wheat.
• Separate dough evenly into 8 balls. Let rest covered on counter for 10 minutes.
• Roll each ball into a snake shape, then form each into a ring. Allow the rings to rest covered for 20 minutes or until puffy.
• Meanwhile, get a large pot of water boiling, turn oven to 425 F, and grease a baking sheet.
• Drop rings into briskly boiling water (taking care not to crowd them - I was only able to do 3 at a time). Boil for one minute, then flip the rings and boil for another minute. Take them out of the water and place onto greased baking sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes then flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

PLAIN BAGELS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 2/3 cups water, yeast, and 1 1/2 tablespoons honey. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add malt, oil, flour, and salt and mix with the dough hook attachment at low speed for about 10 minutes, or until dough can "pull a window." To test, pinch off a small ball of dough and pull into a thin, see-through membrane without it tearing. If it tears, mix another minute or two.
• Lightly oil a baking sheet. Portion dough into 5 1/2 ounce balls and place on the sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Pull out dough to warm up for 30 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 460°F. In a large wide pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1/4 cup honey to a boil.
• On a clean countertop, roll each ball into 9-inch long strands. Take strand by the ends and overlap together to form an "O". Pinch together seams to join. Let bagels rest for 5 minutes.
• Reduce boiling water to a simmer. Working 3 or 4 at a time, drop bagels into boiling honey water for about 2 minutes per side. Lift out with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with toppings, if desired. Place 6 on each baking sheet and bake one sheet at a time in center of the oven until slightly browned, shiny and firm, about 10 to 12 minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to cool.

BAGELS

Steps:

• Mix the yeast with 300ml lukewarm water. Put the flour, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix together. Pour over the yeasty liquid and mix into a rough dough.
• Tip out onto the work surface and knead together until smooth and elastic - this should take around 10 mins.
• Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a piece of oiled cling film. Place in a warm area and leave until doubled in size, about 1 hr, then uncover and tip onto your work surface.
• Divide the dough into 10 portions and form into balls - I like to weigh them to make sure that they're all the same size. Line up on 2 parchment-lined baking trays and cover lightly with cling film.
• Leave for around 30 mins or until risen and puffy, then remove the cling film.
• Use a floured finger to make a hole in the centre of each bagel, swirling it around to stretch the dough a little, but being careful not to knock out too much air. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the bicarbonate of soda to alkalise the water (see tip, below left). Place 1-2 of the bagels in the water at a time and boil for 1 min (2 mins if you want a chewier bagel), turning over halfway through. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the bagels, drain well and place back on the baking tray.
• Brush the bagels with the egg white and sprinkle with your chosen seeds. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before eating. They will keep for 3-4 days, or freeze for 2 months (see How to freeze, below left).

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together yeast and warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on a low speed, add sugar, 1 tablespoon malt syrup, flour, and salt. Knead until a dough forms, about 1 minute. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky (if necessary, add more flour or water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl; cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Cover with a damp, clean kitchen towel, and let rest for about 20 minutes. (This will relax the dough and make it easier to shape.)
• Line two unrimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, and lightly brush with oil; set aside. With lightly oiled hands, roll each piece of dough into a 6-inch rope. Holding one end of rope between your thumb and forefinger, wrap dough around your hand to form a circle with overlapping ends (they should overlap by a few inches). Still holding the dough, press the overlapping ends on the work surface, rolling back and forth to seal with the palm of your hand.
• Place the bagels 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap, and let rest until slightly puffed, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Fill a large stockpot (the wider, the better) with about 5 quarts of water, and bring to a boil. Add remaining 2 tablespoons malt syrup. Gently drop bagels into the water. (Add as many bagels as will comfortably fit without touching each other.) After 30 seconds, use a slotted spoon or skimmer to flip bagels over; simmer for 30 seconds more.
• Using the slotted spoon, return bagels to parchment-lined sheets. Top with seeds or coarse salt, as desired, while bagels are still wet.
• Immediately place sheets in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate sheets and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until the tops of the bagels begin to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, flip bagels over, and continue to bake until other sides turn golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Transfer bagels to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Bagels can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic or stored in resealable bags, for up to 3 weeks. Preslice bagels before freezing for easy toasting.