I have attempted to reproduce the sourdough bagels. This time I measured carefully: 1 cup fresh sourdough starter, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup bread flour; 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp gluten, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp olive oil; and the water I added during the kneading until it looked properly hydrated added up to 4 and 1/2 Tbsp. Watch this space for a report on the results.
UPDATE. The bagels turned out great, and I think this will do as a "standard" sourdough bagel recipe. I will weigh the starter next time. Here goes.
Erin's Basic Sourdough Wheat Bagels (for the bread machine)
- 1 cup fresh sourdough starter
- 3 Tbsp water (non-chlorinated) to start, plus additional water if needed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup bread flour, plus additional flour if needed
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp gluten
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
Make the dough (in the early morning to have fresh bagels for dinner, or in the evening to have bagels for breakfast):
Put everything in the bread machine in the order indicated and set the machine to produce dough. Or, use a mixer or hand method. Pay attention to the hydration of the dough and add water by the teaspoon or flour by the tablespoon during the knead cycle to produce a smooth but fairly stiff and un-sticky dough. It is okay if the dough rests for a couple of hours before you shape the bagels, but no resting time is necessary.
When the dough is finished, remove it from the machine and cut it into pieces in the variety of sizes you want. This recipe makes 6 large bagels, 8 medium bagels, or 10-12 mini bagels.
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and lightly spray with cooking spray. Roll each piece by hand into an inch-thick rope, dip the ends in water, join them, and work the ends together well to seal. Place the bagels on the parchment, lightly spray with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap, and leave the bagels at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
Boil, top, and bake:
Put a pot of water on to boil. Put a heavy pan on the bottom rack of the oven and the other rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. When the oven is hot and the water boiling, add 2-4 Tbsp of sugar to the boiling water. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Carefully drop half the bagels into the boiling water. They should sink at first, and then float to the surface. After they float, let them boil for 1 minute or so, then turn them over with a slotted spatula and let them boil on the other side for 1 more minute. Then remove them to the baking sheet. Repeat with the other half.
If you wish the bagels to have a topping -- for example, sesame seeds or coarse salt -- put the topping in a small bowl and carefully dredge the tops of the wet bagels one at a time, returning them to the baking sheet.
Put the bagels on the center rack of the oven. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the preheated pan to create steam, then close the oven. Bake about 15 minutes or until browned, watching carefully to prevent burning (especially of the toppings, which may require a lower temperature and a slower bake).
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