Sourdough Bagels

SourDom

I have been experimenting with bagels, and here are the most recent batch.

This is a version of Robotchef's recipe posted in Dan Lepard's forum, but tweaked, and made sourdough. The taste is far superior using all leaven.

This makes a dozen bagels.

The Dough

Ingredient Metric Imperial Baker's Percentage
starter 400 grams 14.12 oz 72.73%
water 150 grams 5.3 oz 27.27%
flour 550 grams 19.42 oz 100.00%
oil 38 grams 1.34 oz 6.91%
brown sugar 25 grams 0.88 oz 4.55%
salt 15 grams 0.53 oz 2.73%
Total Flour Weight:
550 grams

Percentages are relative to flour weight (flour equals 100%) and every other ingredient is a percentage of this. Flour from the starter is not counted. This recipe was originally in grams and has been automatically converted to other measures.

Method: 

Mix, and do a couple of short kneads at 10 minute intervals.
Leave to rise for 3-4 hours.
Divide into 100g portions, preshape into balls.
Either poke a hole in the middle with your finger, and stretch the hole
or roll into long 'ropes', wind over your hand and seal the join by rubbing the ends of the rope together.
Retard in the fridge overnight (spray with oil, cover with plastic, put in a plastic bag)

The next day - bring a large pot to boil. Add a handful of brown sugar
Add as many bagels as will fit in a single layer (I can fit three)
Turn after 30 secs (cook for 1 min in total) - drain and put back on the tray
top with your choice of topping
Bake in the oven at ~200C for ~20 mins

cheers
Dom

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Replies

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 January 22

My starter is almost refreshed with no where to go. And then I see this. Looks very inviting, Dom. Thanks for the converted recipe. I've never made bagels before and only eaten them a couple of times...yup, one time in NYC, which put me off a bit (sorry, Jeremy) as it was positively laden (more like swamped) with chunks of salt. *shudder* Right...I'm going to make these in time for lunch tomorrow. What should I eat it with? Googling I find the best things to eat it with is lox (don't have 'em here) or creamcheese and onions. TP

amber108 2015 March 31

Just reading this post Im definately giving it a go, I must confess Ive had bagels a couple of times and they were tough as nails, I thought maybe thats how theyre meant to be (?) Personal preference; we can adjust the recipe to be a tad lighter/wetter, yes?

SourDom 2008 January 23

Thanks Jeremy,
I have been tempted to make Bialys, but not yet tried - will do soon.
TP I have these bagels toasted with vegemite, but they probably don't have vegemite in your part of the world. Eat them with whatever you would normally accompany your breakfast.
 
cheers
Dom

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 January 23

Dom, we're practically neighbours with Oz. There are one or two places which sell Vegemite here, but I got mine from our trip in March last year...still good coz it's kept in the fridge. Yay!

Panevino 2008 January 23

Thanks for the recipe Dom.  I made a dozen today and they were delicious.  Just with some butter.  Awsome treat.  I skipped the overnite fermentation because I just could not wait.  Really tasty anyways.  For whatever reason I needed to add more water.  In the rush to making the dough work, I never measured but I stopped when it felt right.  I'll make them again, really soon.Tony

SourDom 2008 January 23

Tony,this is a very dry dough - especially compared to most that I make.I think that it is characteristic of bagel doughs that they are low in hydration, in this case the high proportion of starter increases the effective hydration - so if your starter is younger when you add it you may need a little more water.I usually have to knead a little more than usual to incorporate all of the flourcheersDom

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 January 23

I made 8. Starting too late in the evening, I only had time to bulk-ferment at room temperature for an hour before putting in the fridge overnight. At 9 this morning, I took the dough out, let it warm up for an hour, shaped, then proved for one and a half hours before boiling and baking. They are really very tasty with an interesting chewy texture at the skin and a medium dense slightly less chewy texture in the middle. With added caramelised onions, these should go by today. Nooooooo problem. This one is for you, Dom. Thanks!Other pix here.TP

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 January 24

Thanks, Maedi. Looks like my little black hairy friend wants some too.BTW, what's the difference between hitting the 'Reply' key and the 'Add Comment' from the first post?

Maedi's picture
Maedi 2008 January 24

They're actually both very different. 'Add comment' replies to the first post whereas 'reply' is directed to an individual post. Have a look at 'Threaded list - expanded' under 'Comment viewing options' located at the bottom of this page. I'm hoping to instead have a 'Post Reply' button at the bottom of a thread and taking away the 'reply' links.

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 January 24

Viewing the Expanded Threaded List, I see most of us haven't been using it 'correctly'...except that those of us who use the Flat Expanded as default won't know that. Ignorance is bliss....or are we contributing to chaos?Apologies for hijacking the thread, Dom.

Maedi's picture
Maedi 2008 January 24

Oh, there's not too much chaos. I'm going to make a 'Reply' button at the top and bottom of every topic page so we wont have that problem in threaded view anymore, but threaded view won't be threaded, it's all about compromise, unless people prefer threaded view? I personally prefer the standard view and just quoting a particular post if need be.

Panevino 2008 January 26

hey Dom, made them again ... two dozen this time.  I'm hooked and my wife loves them too (she's really picky).  Too bad I don't know how to post photos and we are on dial up (yukk), or I'd show them.Cheers,Tony

Maedi's picture
Maedi 2008 January 26

I can guide you through the picture process if you'd like Tony. You can still do it with Dial Up.Maedi

Jeremy's picture
Jeremy 2008 January 30

Here is my contribution to the bagels! Well I think I need the tutorial but here is my link for where the picture is on my site! As well a story!Jeremy

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 January 30

Jeremy, you used the same recipe? Lovely! I notice that you and Dom use the method of rolling the dough,then sticking the ends together to form a circle....the unskilled like me can only poke holes in a bun.Edit: LOL, looks like Dom and I are on the same vein....posting at the same time.

SourDom 2008 January 30

Lovely looking bagels Jeremy.I have made 2 batches this week, as I took a dozen in to work, and then felt compelled to make more for the family.do you shape yours the traditional way (rope - joined over hand), or by poking your finger in the middle of a boule?I can't see the seam in yours.When I shape mine the traditional way (which I do most of the time), they often come apart at the seamcheersDom

Adam T's picture
Adam T 2008 March 5
me too! Although I am not sure if I want to introduce them into the bakery. The guys would kill me!
celia's picture
celia 2008 March 11
Good morning, it's been a while since I last posted, but Dom's bagels caught my eye.  They look great !  Dom, I've been experimenting as well, and I use a version of Teresa's recipe from northwestsourdough.com. The main thing I do differently to you is to add malt syrup (which you can buy in Woolies and Coles) - a lot of research I did suggests that "authentic" bagels needed that.  Before I found the malt syrup, I was using golden syrup, which worked well, but is quite a bit sweeter.  My bagels also look a bit denser than yours, and they're a bit bigger - 120g - because I have a starving adolescent who takes them to school for lunch. :)

Edit: Thanks Maedi - have figured out this photo thing now !



Cheers, Celia
Maedi's picture
Maedi 2008 March 11

That's okay Ceilia, I'll post a tutorial soon. For now:

You can upload your photos in the Gallery, then paste them into posts by clicking the 'Add Image' button located on the editor when posting. Into this you paste the images URL which is shown in the gallery as 'Image URL'.

Hope that helps, tutorial coming soon...

Maedi

celia's picture
celia 2008 March 11
I wonder if you could get creative with Horlicks powder ?  Just a thought. It's been ages since I've had Horlicks, so I can't remember if it's just malt powder, or a combination of other ingredients as well.
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 March 11

I may have a jar of crusted horlicks lurking in my kitchen. Mr Google tells me it is made from wheat, milk and malted barley. May throw the recipe out of whack. I've some homemade malted barley...

By the way, glad to have another female presence around! :D
celia's picture
celia 2008 March 11
[quote=TeckPoh]
By the way, glad to have another female presence around! :D[/quote]

Oh, we have more in common than that.  I'm Chinese (Teochew), originally from Malaysia, though I've lived in Australia for almost all my life.. :)

If you can't find malt syrup, you might get away with using golden syrup - it worked pretty well before I found the malt.

Cheers, Celia
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 March 11
[quote=celia]
Oh, we have more in common than that.  I'm Chinese (Teochew), originally from Malaysia, though I've lived in Australia for almost all my life.. :)
[/quote]

:) Gosh. Hubby's teochew, I'm hakka/cantonese.

[quote=celia]
If you can't find malt syrup, you might get away with using golden syrup - it worked pretty well before I found the malt.

Cheers, Celia
[/quote]

Right-o. I've got golden syrup.


celia's picture
celia 2008 March 12
....poppyseed and chopped red birdseye chilli in the bagel dough.  I used 3 chillis with seeds in 7 bagels...



celia's picture
celia 2008 March 13
Cream cheese and smoked salmon for me, but they're pretty good plain as well.

Not really a bagel spree, this week I've also baked four white sourdough loaves, a 90cm tray of focaccia and three loaves of sweet potato sourdough bread as well.  More of a baking spree, I guess.   Oh, and some white chocolate cookies with dark choc chips... ;-)
celia's picture
celia 2008 March 13
Worse, teenager boys.  They eat like there's no tomorrow.  My eldest took THREE bagels to school today, filled with ricotta and smoked salmon; ham, cheese and salad and so forth.  I fill the freezer once a week and hope for the best.

Plus it's fun to experiment.  Sourdough hot cross buns next week !

All the best, Celia
Cookie's picture
Cookie 2008 April 11
Mmmm, these look good, am getting the starter out of the fridge, fancy some of these for lunch tomorrow.   How do you get the sesame and poppy seeds to stay on, the bagels look like they have an egg wash on top.
Panevino 2008 April 11
Hello Cookie, after you take the bagels out of the boiling water just toss them onto a cookie sheet coated in whatever you would like on your bagels.  The bagels will be thick with seeds, etc.   Otherwise, if you want less seeds just sprinkle the desired amount onto the damp bagel.   Then right into your hot oven.  It works like a charm.

Cheers,

Tony
celia's picture
celia 2008 April 11
Cookie, mine have an eggwash on them - 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water.  I find it helps the toppings stick, although nothing seems to make caraway seeds stay on !
Cookie's picture
Cookie 2008 April 12
I've just got my first ever sourdough bagels, or bagels for that matter, out of the oven.   They lost a bit of shape in the transition from the proving tray to the simmering water, but I got better at that after a few tries.   They did not rise quite as well as those seen on the forum, but they did rise, are light and so tasty.   Have never liked the bagels I have bought before, but these have lovely flavour.   Will have to go away and work out how to put photos on this forum.   Think I have to load my photo into Flickr or my blog somewhere.

Excuse me, I am off to have bagels and home made plum jam for breakfast.......
celia's picture
celia 2008 April 12

I found I had to really dust the tray with flour or cornmeal to stop them sticking during the "inflating tyre" stage. :)
Cookie's picture
Cookie 2008 April 12
Thanks guys.   Celia, I will certainly dust the tray while my bagels are inflating next time, good idea.
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 April 12
I place the bagels on Tesco's baking parchment, great stuff. But I just bought a silicon sheet...will use that in future.
celia's picture
celia 2008 April 12
Actually, TP, you're right !  I forgot - I line the tray with parchment paper, and THEN dust it.  Usually the bagels lift off fine then...should have mentioned that in my earlier post...
lamammina 2008 April 14
These bagels look delicious, I'd love to give them a try, but I'm stuck at the beginning.
How do I get 400gr of starter?
Do I just take a tablespoon of my starter from the fridge and add 200gr flour and 200gr water?
Any help would be appreciated.

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 April 14
Yep, those bagels are truly delicious!

When was the last time you fed your starter? If it were longer than 2 weeks in the fridge, I'd go for 2 refreshments, say, 2 times 100g flour + 100g water. Otherwise, yes, you can just add a tablespoon to 200g flour and 200g water for a 100% hydration starter. I normally make more than is required so that I have extra to keep in the fridge for future bakes.

Cheers
TP


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