Bagels

Bagels
    Adapted from kingarthrurflour.com

Ingredients:

• 4 cups King Arthur Bread Flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 scant tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon non-diastatic malt powder
  
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon oil
• toppings like sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning

Water bath:

• 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons non-diastatic malt powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and malt powder. Add the 1 1/3 cups water and stir until you get a relatively cohesive ball of dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-15 minutes). Grease a clean large bowl, form dough into a ball and roll around to lightly coat with the oil. Cover bowl and allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until puffed, but not necessarily doubled. You can also place it in the refrigerator and let it rise overnight. The overnight rise is supposed to develop more flavor, but since I like mine with the everything bagel seasoning, it's the texture of the bagel that I focus on.
• When dough had risen sufficiently, put the water, 2 tablespoons malt powder, and sugar in a large wide-rimmed pot (like a Dutch oven), and place pot over medium to medium-high heat until water comes to a gentle boil. Also preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Turn dough out onto work surface, flatten, and cut into 8 equal wedges. I like to shape dough into tight balls, let them rest a bit, and then I poke a hole in the center and swing it around my finger to widen the hole. Other people form each piece of dough into a rope and then join the ends. (Here is a video that shows and explains each method.) Place shaped bagels into the parchment-lined baking sheet. Then cover with plastic and allow to rest for about 15 minutes (if room temp) or 30 minutes (if dough had been refrigerated).
• Place 2-3 bagels in the boiling water at a time and boil each side for 30-60 seconds. Carefully remove boiled bagels to the parchment-lined baking sheet. (I like to use a slotted spatula and I use a clean folded dish cloth under the spatula because the bagels get slippery.) While bagels are still wet from boiling, sprinkle with toppings, if desired.
• Bake bagels at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes or until puffed and browned. Remove bagels to a wire cooling rack to cool. Enjoy when bagels are at a temperature you like. Place uneaten bagels in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze.

Makes 8 bagels

Dough kneaded and set to rise

Bagels formed with rope method

Bagels formed from a ball of dough

Everything bagel formed with rope method

Everything bagel formed with ball of dough method

Plain bagel formed with rope method

Plain bagel formed with ball of dough method