Bagels

Had to share some pics of my bagels this morning. Sorry about not posting recently any Bouchon Bakery lately. I have been busy with suppling bread for a CSA and may soon start suppling some pastry to a small cake shop. All this in addition to my regular 40 hr job and family. I'll sleep when Im dead I guess.

Make 12 100g bagels

730g Flour, Bread

420g Water, 75 degrees F

37g   Malt, Diastatic

15g   Salt, Kosher

5g     Yeast, Instant

Mix it intill moderatly/well developed. It should be satiny but very tight after mixing. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest at room temp for 1 hour to let flour hydrate and yeast/malt to activate. The dough should be soft and supple, I was amazed at how soft it was for 58 percent hydrated. Scale at 100g and quick shape into a short log. Roll out and form into rounds. Sorry I didnt take pics of these steps, next time I will and will add them in to the post. Place on half-sheet pan sprayed with oil and dusted with cornmeal. Cover with tea-towel and put inside plastic bag.Place in fridge overnight.

Next morning. Bring pot large enough to hold 4 bagels and 4-5 inches of water to just under a boil and add 4-5 tablespoons of barley malt syrup ( 1 tbsp of malt per inch of water). No malt syrup in your local store? Try using molasses. My opinion here were not boiling bagels were giving the yeast a nice warm bath to wake-up from the cold fridge, just like a nice shower wakes us up in the morning. Add bagels 4 at a time and give them 15 sec per side. Move to a cooling rack to drain while we load 4 more bagels to the water. Move bagels from cooling rack back to sheet pan (now is the time to dredge the tops in seeds or other toppings). Turn bagels over that are in water. Repeat process intill all bagels are done. Place in 450 degree F oven (425 with convection). Bake and rotate pans according to your oven. Remove from oven when they reach the crust color you like. Remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack. Mine actually sing after baking and have a solid crust that doesnt soften after sitting for 5 min. Inside is soft and chewy.