We just made bagels!
Sometimes in the middle of a long downhill hike, a Wendy’s Frosty is exactly what my body wants, and the imagining is almost as good as the tasting.
It’s kind of the same here in Moshi: meat, ice cream and beer (Tusker is really good, but so is variety!) usually top the list, but just the other day I also remembered how much I miss bagels—really good bagels, in all their chewy, tear ‘em apart, not-the-kind-you’d-get-in-the-grocery-store dense goodness.
Thanks to the web, then, above all his nobler yet sadly more elusive brethren, the humble bagel has proved himself this morning victorious, breaking open the way of gastronomic manifestation for all those who shall follow!
Mmmmm.
Yummy … bagels. Bagels in NC are not so good, but Erin has made them at home a couple times. Good to see you.
Dave
Hey, it’s fun to hear from you, Dave!
The recipe I used suggested that the bagels should sink first in the boiling water, then float to the top after about 10 seconds, but mine floated from the beginning.
Have you & Erin had any luck getting them to sink? What do you think the trick might be?
From Erin:
Mine don’t ever sink.
Here’s the recipe I use from Cooking Light:
(12-ounce) can brown beer (such as Newcastle Brown Ale), divided
1 cup water
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
4 1/2 cups bread flour, divided (about 21 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray
4 cups water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon water
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Heat 1/2 cup beer and 1 cup water over low heat in a small, heavy saucepan to between 100° and 110°. Combine beer mixture and yeast in a large bowl, stirring until yeast dissolves. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg white.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 4 1/4 cups flour and salt to beer mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 10 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), shape each portion into a ball. Make a hole in the center of each ball using your index finger. Using fingers of both hands, gently pull dough away from center to make a 1 1/2-inch hole. Place bagels on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Lightly coat bagels with cooking spray; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 10 minutes (bagels will rise only slightly).
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine remaining beer, 4 cups water, and sugar in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer. Gently lower 1 bagel into simmering beer mixture. Cook 30 seconds. Turn bagel with a slotted spoon; cook an additional 30 seconds. Transfer bagel to a wire rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining bagels.
Place bagels on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Combine 1 teaspoon water and egg yolk in a small bowl; stir with a fork until blended. Brush bagels with yolk mixture; sprinkle with sesame and poppy seeds.
Bake at 400° for 17 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 bagel)
CALORIES 211 (14% from fat); FAT 3.2g (sat 0.2g,mono 1.1g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 8.3g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 11mg; SODIUM 357mg; FIBER 1.6g ; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.8g
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005
Wow, thanks, Erin! We’ll have to try this one. And it’s good to know that sinking doesn’t seem to be necessary for a good bagel. :)