Bagels

Ingredients

20 is about the maximum capacity of a normal (5 qt) KitchenAid mixing bowl.

Timings

Night before (can be day of): 20 minutes to prepare dough + 2 hours for proofing.

Day of: 30 minutes prep + 30 minutes per 10 bagels to cook.

If batch-baking for a large party (30+ bagels), start the “day of” work about 1.5h before guests arrive. (Make the dough and do the initial 2h proof beforehand.)

Notes

You can buy malt powder online, make sure to get non-diastatic (inactive). If you buy from Amazon, it may or may not have fast shipping with Prime.

I usually make the dough the day before and then refrigerate it overnight. I find that the cold dough is easier to work with when forming the bagels. If I’m making a small batch of bagels (<=10), I’ll form them the night before as well.

I use brown sugar in the boiling pot instead of malt powder. The malt powder leaves a bit of a scum on the top of the bagels which I don’t like.

When batch baking, I work in batches of 10. This looks like:

1. Shape 20 bagels initially (~15 minutes).
2. Boil 10 bagels (our boiling pot fits 4 at a time, so this takes 7-10 minutes for 3 groups of 4-4-2).
3. Bake 10 bagels, 5 at a time (2x15 minutes).
4. While the first 5 bagels are cooking, shape the next batch of 10 bagels.
5. While the second 5 bagels are cooking, boil the next batch of 10 bagels.
6. Repeat the last 3 steps until finished (30 minutes/10 bagels).

Recipe

Making the Dough

1. The original recipe says to combine the dry ingredients (except for the flour) with the water, then mix in the flour without kneading. (If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment.) I mix the dry ingredients together (including the flour), then slowly add the water, using a KitchenAid on the lowest setting with the paddle attachment. I haven’t found there to be much difference in outcome.
2. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), roughly 2 hours.
3. Use immediately or refrigerate and use within the next 14 days.

Baking the Bagels

1. Place a baking stone in the middle of your oven and a baking tray (for steam) near the bottom. Preheat the oven to 500F (or 475F with a convection oven, 20-30 minutes).
2. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. Dust each piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
3. Repeat to form the rest of the bagels. Cover the balls loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
4. Prepare the boiling-pot: Bring a large saucepan or stock pot full of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the malt powder or sugar and baking soda.
5. Punch your thumb through each dough-ball to form a hole. Ease the hole open with your fingers and stretch until the diameter is about triple the width of the bagel wall.
6. Drop the bagels into the simmering water one at a time, raising the flame as necessary to continue a slow simmer. They need enough room to float without crowding or they will be misshapen (though they may touch a little). Let them simmer for about 1 minute and then flip them over with a slotted spoon to cook the other side for another 30 seconds. (Using a spatula to drop them into the boiling pot can help preserve their shape.)
7. Remove them from the water using the slotted spoon, and place them on a clean kitchen towel that has been dusted with flour. This will absorb some of the excess water. After they’ve drained a bit, place them on a peel covered with whole wheat flour. Sprinkle the bagels with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Press down on the seeds to get them to stick better.
8. Slide the bagels directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 15-20 minutes until deeply browned and firm.
9. Break the usual rule for cooking, and serve these a bit warm.