Bagels

These are the typical Montreal bagels; which means they are soft, light and offer a much larger hole than the American equivalent. I love them because they are chewy and full-flavored with thin, blistered crusts, just right for spreading with cream cheese or good quality butter.

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH
3 Gr. instant yeast or 9 Gr. fresh yeast. (1 Teaspoon)
826 Gr. all purpose flour (equivalent of 6 1/4 cups)
17 Gr. Salt
538 Gr. Lukewarm Water (2 1/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons

WATER BATH
8 Cups water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Teaspoon salt

Garnish ; 1/2 Cup Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion seeds, dried garlic, etc…


PREPARATION

Combine all the dough ingredients in a mixing bowl, using a dough hook, mix at medium speed for about 10 minutes, when the dough comes away from the sides.
The dough will be quite soft and tacky.
Place it in a bowl and cover to rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until noticeably puffy. It will double in size.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide in 12 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it into a smooth round ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and let them rest for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the water bath by heating the water and sugar and bring a gentle boil.

Preheat the over at 200 Celsius with a fan – Poke a hole in the bagel and roll out and stretch the dough until it is about 5 cm in diameter.
Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet until all the remaining pieces are done.
Transfer 4 bagels at a time in the hot bath and cook for 1 minute. Flip them over and cook for a further 1 minute. Repeat for all remaining pieces.

Finally, place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. I fill a small plate with sesame seeds and dip each bagel in them so they are fully covered with seeds on one side.
Bake them for 10-12 minutes and flip the pan on the other side. Bake for another 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Wait… wait… wait for at least 15 minutes before you indulge… you’ll thank me later !