michelle picker cooks

There’s plenty of patience and some kneading required to make these bagels but they are the real deal. If you’ve ever eaten a genuine bagel you’ll know that they are dense and chewy and have a crisp outer layer. Thomas made these following this Claire Saffitz recipe for the NYT, with some extra help from her video.

Pour ½ a cup of lukewarm water into a small bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of barley malt syrup (if you can’t get this use molasses) and 2¼ teaspoons of yeast until both dissolve. Set this aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is frothy. In a large bowl, combine 6½ cups of bread flour with 6 teaspoons of pure salt and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture and another 1¾ cups of lukewarm water and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the dough is shaggy. Knead the mixture in the bowl by folding it over and onto itself and pressing down firmly to bring it together into a solid mass. Turn it out onto a clean work surface and continue to knead until there are no dry spots, adding a little more flour only if absolutely necessary to prevent sticking. Knead by hand (this dough is a bit too tough for a stand mixer) for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is smooth and a little tacky. This kneading develops the gluten which is necessary to make the bagels chewy. Make a ball with the dough, dust lightly with flour and place, seam-side down, in a bowl. Cover with a damp towel and leave it to rise for 1½ to 2 hours. When it’s risen, lightly punch down the dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a tight ball then, one ball at a time, gather the irregular edges and pinch them together to make a teardrop shape). Place the dough seam-side down on the surface and cup your hand down and over top of the dough in a loose grip. Now move your hand in a circular motion, dragging the dough across the surface until it has a high, tight dome. Repeat with all the pieces, then cover them with the damp towel and let them rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with baking paper, brush lightly with oil, and set aside.

Now roll out a ball of dough with your palms into a 9-inch-long rope. Make each end of the rope a little thinner, then wrap the rope around one hand overlapping the ends along the inside of your hand. Roll the dough under your hand back and forth several times to seal the ends together then take the ring of dough off your hand and stretch it to an even thickness all the way around the ring. The ring should measure about 10cm (4″) across. Place it on a baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough balls. Cover the rings with plastic and a damp towel and put them in the fridge. They need to prove for between 4 and 24 hours.

About 2 hours before serving the bagels, place an oven rack in the centre position and preheat the oven to 230ºC (450ºF). If you’re planning to put toppings on the bagels, spread several tablespoons of each topping (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, flaky salt) on separate large plates next to the wire rack. Remove the bagels from the fridge. Fill a small bowl with room temperature water, carefully peel a ring of dough off the paper and transfer it to the bowl. If it floats, the bagels are ready to boil and bake. Remove the ring from the water and pat it dry before placing it back on the baking sheet.

Fill a large, wide pot halfway with water and place it over high heat. Set a wire rack next to it with your topping closeby. Bring the water to boil and whisk in 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ¼ of a cup of barley malt syrup (or molasses). Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil, skimming off any foam. Transfer as many bagels as will comfortably fit in one layer to the pot and boil for 1 minute, turning halfway through. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the bagels to the wire rack and repeat the process with the rest of the bagels. Discard the baking paper from the baking sheet. Now add the toppings, turning the bagels to coat them on both sides, then place them flat side down onto the baking sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning the trays 180º halfway through, until the bagels are nice and brown. Cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.