Bagels
Few things are better than a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel with a little squeeze of lemon and freshly cracked black pepper -- and even better if it is a homemade bagel. My love of smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels are associated with buying our Christmas tree from Columbia Road. We would go there early in the morning and have a bagel and a hot chocolate, before going to select our Christmas tree. As we were unable to do our family tradition this year, I thought I would take it upon myself to learn how to make bagels. My first batch of bagels did not go very well at all, but with a bit of recipe testing, experimenting and helpful tips from the internet, I managed to perfect them on the second attempt. Although I do need to work on the all important bagel hole in the middle!
Ingredients:
500g strong white bread flour
2 tsp salt
4 tsp caster sugar
25g unsalted butter
1 tsp (5g) active dry yeast
240ml warm water
1 egg, lightly beaten
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl: the flour, salt, sugar and butter. In another mixing bowl, mix the yeast and water together and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Once the yeast has dissolved add the egg to this.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until all is properly combined and you no longer have any dry, floury bits. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Knead vigorously for 15 minutes until the dough relaxes and no longer resists. Shape it into a boule and leave it to proof for an hour and a half on the side until it has doubled in size.
Once it has published in size, punch the dough down with your fist to release the air. Lightly flour a work surface and divide your dough into eight equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and push your finger through the middle to create a hole and keep working and stretching until you have something resembling a bagel ring.
Place the bagels onto a prepared baking sheet and leave them to rest for 45-50 minutes. Just before the bagels have finished resting, bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a teaspoon of salt.
Cook the bagels in a few batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. The water should be simmering rather than a rolling boil and cook the bagels for 45 seconds on each side and then place on a wire rack to drain and cool.
Preheat the oven to 220C and place a roasting tray at the bottom of the oven and a baking tray for the bagels on the top shelf.
Let the bagels cool slightly before brushing over an egg wash.
Place the bagels in the oven on the prepared baking tray and pour a cup of water in the now hot roasting tray -- this will create steam, creating that perfect bagel crust. Turn the oven down to 200C and bake the bagels for 15 minutes until golden brown.
