Some heros get statues

According to Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker's Apprentice, folklore has it that bagels were invented in Austria in the 1800s "as a tribute to the wartime victories of King Jan of Poland, and were modeled after the stirrup of his saddle." They were brought to the States by German and Polish Jewish immigrants, which is why we think of them as a Jewish bread. Something happened between their inception in the US and now... bagel greatness has been diluted out by mainstream mass production.

Living in San Diego, it can be tough to find a good bagel. Einstein's and Brueggers have a monopoly on the bagel scene here, and they are packed on weekend mornings despite their sorry excuses for bagels. Einstein's have decent texture, an okay crumb- a bit airy for a true New York-style bagel, but the real problem is that they are sweetened. Bruegger's have a horrible crumb, no flavor, no nice pockets of air, and no complexity to the bread's flavor. Really, both are just vehicles for the topping of your choice.

Why is it so hard to find a good bagel? Referring back to Peter Reinhart, I am able to glean that industrialization is at the root of this problem. Someone figured out how to mass-produce bagels. The dough shot through bagel-processing machines is a softer dough that won't stand up to boiling, so most mass-produced bagels are steamed, then baked, all in one big oven. This takes away that great, chewy crust we love in a good bagel. According to Bruegger's website, they boil their bagels, so I don't know why theirs suck.

I remember making bagels once or twice when I first started baking bread several years ago. However, that was in my early bread days, which were pocked with breads gone horribly wrong, due either to my stabs at creativity or bread-ignorance.

A few hundred loaves wiser now, I return to the bagel...

I scoured my favorite bread books, and came to the following conclusions:

1. I need a higher gluten percentage than normal bread flour to give the dough elasticity and stiffness, both important if the bagel's going to handle being boiled and not and the bagel a good chewy texture

2. I need a source of diastase enzymes. Malt syrup or active diastic malt powder (I found malt syrup at Whole Foods, you can get powder at beer-making supply stores). Malt contains an enzyme that digests starches, hastening their breakdown into their component sugars. Honey or brown sugar can be used as a substitute, but won't taste the same. Non-diastic malt won't work- it's been boiled, so the enzymes are inactive.

3. A long rise is important. I'm always a fan of the long rise. Longer shelf life, better flavor. And bread-baking is not for the impatient.


Here's the recipe I adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread:

1 lb + 13.5 oz bread flour
2.5 oz vital wheat gluten
1 T salt
1.75 tsp yeast (instant, also known as "bread machine")
1 lb 3.5 oz water
1 T malt syrup

Desired dough temp: 78 F (for kneading by hand, if it's about 68-70 degrees inside, use water that's about 90 F).
Weigh out the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk together.




















Add wet ingredients.



This dough was freaking STIFF. That's a quote right out of my bread diary.


Mix and knead. Work all that flour in there. Most first-time bread makers add too much flour to their dough. That shouldn't be your problem here. I had to add in more water when I did this a few days ago, today it came together well after about 10 min of kneading and whacking the dough around.

(I made two because I figure I might as well if I'm at it... plus I've already promised away at least a batch... and my two most honest critics need samples. Plus I've got a few favorite whores-for-baked-goods who never dissuade me from pursuits in the kitchen.)



Round the dough up into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm, still spot to rise for 1.5 hr.

After the dough has risen, about doubled in size, cut the dough into 4 oz. rounds. The recipe will make a baker's dozen. Flatten each round slightly with the tips of your fingers to degas it, tuck and roll the dough into a short log, then using the palms of your hands roll it out to be about 12 inches long. Loop the dough around your knuckles so that the ends overlap by a few inches and roll the ends together with the palm or heel of your hand to seal.

Place uncooked bagels on a baking sheet sprinkled lightly with semolina flour or cornmeal, cover with plastic wrap. Let them rest for about 10 min, then put them into the fridge to proof overnight. (These can live in your fridge up to 2 days).

Next morning: Preheat oven with baking stone on middle rack to 500 F. Boil a large pot of water, have a bowl of ice-water and desired toppings ready.
Put a few bagels into the pot of boiling water, 45 seconds/side. Transfer to ice bath to cool briefly. Sprinkle with toppings. Put onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet or bakers peel. Boil longer for a chewier bagel.

Do this for each bagel, making sure the water returns to a boil before the next batch goes in. Depending on the size of your pot, you will probably fit 2-4 bagels at a time.

When you've got a tray full of boiled bagels, slide them onto your baking stone, bake 13-15 min, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a cooling rack.


Topping note: I made an "everything" mix: salt, dried onion flakes, poppy seed, sesame seed. It's good. The first batch also included fennel. I can't recommend that, at least not with a heavy hand. It sort of grew on me by the end, but it's not standard... "everything", clearly a misnomer. I'm going to add flax seeds to the mix... they can get stuck in between my teeth right next to the poppy.

These freeze beautifully- once they're cool, slice them, then freeze them. Toast anytime for a slice of bagel heaven.