Harry Demidavicius wrote:

> On 20 Sep 2003 07:05:25 GMT, statici@aol.com (Static I) wrote:
> 
> 
>>>alzelt alzelFINNFAN@tworldnet.att.net 
>>>Date: 9/19/2003 4:26 PM Central Standard Time
>>>Message-id: <vwKab.145577$0v4.10744837@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>
>>
>>>Having grown up in the NYC area, 
>>>I can tell with complete authority that not all bagels from New York are 
>>>good. Not all bakeries make good rye bread either
>>
>>No disagreement there. 
>>
>>I was empathizing with Mike - I'm new to to the South. They really don't like
>>crust down here - Mothers often cut it off the sandwiches in the school
>>lunches. The best bakery in Mobile (which does do good pastry) makes "French
>>bread" with the same dough they use for sandwich and breakfast rolls. 
>>
>>
>>>In the end, I bet you will be able to closely duplicate what you liked 
>>>in New York. Just be open to learning.
>>
>>I've been using lots of suggestions from the group, and, as I said, the results
>>have been much better for them, and I am thankful to the many people who took
>>the time to answer by questions about thicker crust and airholes.
>>
>>It is, of course, not possible to move too swiftly on all of this as there is
>>only so much bread you can consume and still expect to get through the door.
> 
> 
> I don't know if he's posted it here, but Alan Zelt feels he's got his
> bagels aced.  You might ask him to share how he does this.  I've had
> them and they are quite  acceptable indeed.
> 
> Harry

Harry, given over to an extreme case of "reference selling", is 
nontheless correct. I take pride in my bagels(modified Reinhart) for two 
reasons. First, there is not a really decent commercially available 
bagel where I live. Second, I have spent a long time going through at 
least a 100 recipes (from books and those posted in this group). Oh, and 
one final reason. Having grown up in the shadow of the Empire State 
Building( I long moved out prior to WTC), I do remember what a good 
bagel looks like, smells like and chews like.

                      *  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                            Classic Water Bagels

Recipe By     : Peter Reinhart, Fine Cooking, March 2001
Serving Size  : 12   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Bread

   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         FOR THE SPONGE:
   18      oz.           unbleached high-gluten flour (or bread -- (4 cups)
                         flour)
    1      tsp.          instant or quick-rise yeast
    2 1/2  cups          lukewarm water (about 70F)
                         FOR THE BAGEL DOUGH:
      1/2  tsp.          instant or quick-rise yeast
   18      oz.           about -- (4 cups) unbleached
                         high-gluten flour (or bread flour);
                         more as needed
      3/4  oz            salt (1 to 1 1/2 Tbs. -- depending on the
                         coarseness) 2 tsp. malt powder or 1 Tbs.
                         malt syrup, honey, or brown sugar
                         FOR SHAPING -- BOILING & BAKING:
                         Vegetable oil spray
    1      Tbs           baking soda
                         Cornmeal or semolina flour
                         Sesame seeds -- poppy seeds, kosher
                         salt, finely chopped onions tossed
    1      in            a little oil -- or rehydrated dried
                         minced garlic for topping the
                         bagels

To make the sponge:In a 4-qt. bowl, mix the flour and the 1 tsp. yeast. 
Add the water, whisking or stirring only until it forms a smooth, 
sticky dough (it should be thick but batter-like). Cover with plastic 
wrap and leave at room temperature until the mixture is very foamy and 
bubbly, 1 to 2 hours. It should swell to nearly double in size and 
collapse when the bowl is tapped on the counter.

To make the bagel dough: In a stand mixer bowl (or in a mixing bowl, if 
kneading by hand), stir together the sponge and the 1/2 tsp. yeast. In a 
bowl, mix to­gether 3 cups of the flour with the salt. Add it to the 
sponge, along with the malt, honey, or sugar. Using a dough hook, mix on 
the lowest speed, or knead by hand, slowly working in the re­maining 
flour until the dough is stiff, dry, and almost satiny; you may need 
extra flour or have some leftover. Keep kneading on low until the dough 
is very stiff and firm but still pliable, satiny, and smooth, about 6 
mm, by machine or 15 mm. by hand. If the dough rides up the hook, stop 
the machine, pull it down, add a bit of flour, and continue. When the 
machine starts to struggle, remove the dough and finish
kneading by hand. The dough at this point should be much stiffer than 
French bread dough and shouldn’t be tacky-a finger poked into the dough 
should come out clean. There shouldn’t be any visible raw flour, and 
the dough will feel neither cool nor warm, about 80F.

To check the dough, pinch off a small piece and gently stretch it while 
turning it. It should form a thin, translucent membrane. If it rips, the 
dough hasn’t been kneaded enough or else it’s too dry and needs a few 
drops of water.

Divide the dough into 1 2 pieces, each weighing about 4 3/4 oz. for 
regular bagels. (For mini bagels, divide it into 24 pieces, each 
weighing just under 2 1/2 oz.) Wipe the counter with a damp towel to 
remove any flour dust. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by pulling 
the dough down and around to one point on the bottom and ther pinching 
the bottom closed. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 mm. so 
the gluten relaxes.

To shape, boil, and bake the bagels: Line two baking sheets with 
parchment and spray the paper with vegetable oil.

To shape the bagels, poke a hole in the center of each ball of dough 
with your thumb and then gently rotate the dough around both thumbs, 
slightly squeezing and stretching the dough little by little as you turn 
until the hole has enlarged to 1 1/2 to 2 inches. The dough ring should 
be an even thickness all around.

Set the shaped bagels on the prepared pans so they’re 2 inches apart. 
Mist the bagels very lightly with vegetable oil and cover the pans with 
plastic (the wrap keeps the dough from developing a skin, which would 
restrict the rise). Let the bagels sit at room temperature until they 
swell slightly, by about 15 to 20%. Start checking them after 15 mm., 
doing the "float test" to see if they’re ready to be retarded in the 
refrigerator.

To do the float test, fill a bowl with cold water. Drop one bagel in the 
water. If it floats within 10 seconds, the bagels are ready for the 
overnight rise, or retarding. Pat dry the tester bagel and return it to 
the pan. (If it doesn’t float within 10 seconds, shake or pat it dry, 
return it to the pan, and test it again every 10 mm. until it floats.)

Refrigerate the pans, still covered, for at least 8 hours, or up to 2 days.

When you’re ready to bake the bagels, heat the oven to 500F. Bring a 
large pot of water to a boil (the wider the pot, the better), and add 
the baking soda(or malt syrup); have ready a slotted spoon or skimmer. 
Remove one pan of bagels from the fridge. Slide the parchment along with 
the dough onto the counter. Line the pan with a clean sheet of 
parchment, mist with vegetable oil, and sprinkle with cornmeal or 
semolina flour( Z says his approach is meshuganah. Get European style 
parchment and use.
It does not require oiling and sprinkling.)

Gently drop the bagels into the water (it doesn’t matter which side goes 
in first), boiling only as many as will comfortably fit; they should 
float, within 10 seconds, if not im­mediately. Boil for 1 mm., flip them 
over, and boil for another 1 mm. As the bagels finish cooking, lift them 
out with the skimmer and set them on the baking sheet with the cornmeal 
or semolina, top side up. If you’re sprinkling sesame or poppy seeds, 
kosher salt, chopped onions, or minced garlic on the bagels(or all the 
above as, as I do), do so now. (Go easy on the salt.)

When the bagels on the first pan are boiled and topped, bake for 10 mm., 
rotate the pan for even browning, and then continue baking until golden 
brown on top and bottom and very firm, about another 5 mm. Remove the 
pan from the oven and transfer the bagels to a cooling rack. Let cool 
for at least 10 mm. Meanwhile, remove the second pan of bagels from the 
fridge and boil and bake them the same way.

When I make my onion bagels, I add 1/3 cup rehydrated chopped onions to 
the dough just before finishing up with the KA.






                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Look for malt syrup at natural food stores under the name barley 
malt syrup and for malt powder at beer- making supply shops or through 
baking catalogs. Be sure to use instant or quick-rise yeast (available 
in most supermarkets), not active dry. Yields 12 large or 24 mini bagels.

-- 
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
                                 --James Michener