Progress report: Bagels, week 2
You’re looking at my fourth attempt at bagels since I started the year-long baking project last month.
The recipes I’ve used call for slow-rising dough techniques. Slow, cool fermentation in the refrigerator results in a more flavorful bread with more interesting textures. It takes two days or more to prepare a batch of dough for the oven.
For this batch, I tried the formula in Rose Levy Berenbaum’s The Bread Bible. You may know that bagel dough is parboiled prior to baking. The wetted, precooked surface starches bake into a thicker, chewier exterior in the heat of the oven.
Notice the pretzel-like brownish color on these bagels. Berenbaum’s recipe calls for baking soda in the boiling water, the ingredient which gives homemade pretzels their distinctive color during a similar parboiling treatment.
The recipe calls for an egg white wash prior to baking. This acts as a glue for the sesame seeds, and gives the finished product a nice gloss. Gloss is good, baby. But I want gloss and a crisper crust than what I’ve managed so far. Berenbaum brushes a cornstarch slurry on her rye bread loaves for gloss & crispiness, so I’m trying that on my next batch of bagels to see the effect.
I’ve tried recipes from Berenbaum and Peter Reinhart’s Crust & Crumb: Master Formulas For Serious Bakers. Both authors raise interesting points and are excellent teachers. I’ll continue working from their instructions until I can acheive consistent results for both formulas. In my attempts so far, I’ve made okay bagels, similar to the ones I can buy from my local stores. I’m after something far better, though, and I hope my efforts this year pay off.
January 15th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
I think you are to be commended for your attempt at bagel making, Professor. That is quite an undertaking. I think the bagels look good!
Now, pray for me as I start the process of making a traditional Opera Cake.
God help the Republic.
January 16th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Wow! Great Bagels! =) Gloss and crunch is always a good thing. Can’t wait for more updates!
January 17th, 2006 at 12:29 am
I’ve always wondered why bagels were floating around in hot water before being put in the oven. Thanks for letting us know. You learn something new everyday… almost.
January 17th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
dude. you have guts. seriously. I am scared to make bread, much less BAGELS, which carry so much judgment and opinion. you rock. no wonder they call you The Professor. (i am kinda new to the blogging thing, so i am just getting schooled)
January 18th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
I’m willing to lend my professional bagel judging experiences Professor. I will bring the cream cheese and butter.
January 19th, 2006 at 9:33 am
Professor:
Here to give you an affirming attaboy in your pursuit. Picture looks like the bagels I saw at the bagel store this morning in Brooklyn. If the mad experiments fail to deliver a product that meets your needs you know I can get a dozen to you overnight without any effort. Just let me know.
January 28th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Have you tried the bagels from East Coast in Long Beach? Those are the one I used to buy when I lived there.
January 28th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
Hi Randi,
I’ve given up on trying bagels shops in So Cal. Please don’t take it personally if I don’t try your favorite shop. Every promising recommendation so far has led me on another dead end road to heartbreak, so I’m taking matters into my own hands.