November 4, 2009
Sourdough Bagels
When Maxence and I were in San Francisco late last summer, we had bagels for breakfast every single day. There were a couple of bagel shops not far from where we were staying, so we alternated between the two, and on those mornings that we went for a run through the Golden Gate Park, bagels awaited at a busy coffee shop by the ocean.
I like mine dotted with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, and spread with cream cheese and a juicy slice of tomato. And thanks to a reader who recently suggested the pairing, I've also taken to topping my bagels with peanut butter and a juicy slice of tomato. (I know, I was skeptical too, but try it: I think you'll be surprised.)
On our last day, sad that our vacation was coming to an end and sad to be leaving the city, I saw this one way of making myself feel better: I promised myself I'd bake bagels for us back in Paris. It would at least alleviate the withdrawal symptoms on that particular front.
Oh, sure, I've found bagels in Paris in the past, and you can even buy them from the ubiquitous chain of frozen foods stores (they come with a bunch of emulsifiers and preservatives, if you're into that sort of thing), but it's never been quite the same.
So I turned to Peter Reinhart* and his Bread Baker's Apprentice book for guidance, compulsively reviewed the posts of every single BBA challenger who had followed his bagel recipe, and, on an afternoon when it seemed I could not sit at the computer for a minute longer, I fled to the kitchen and started up a batch. (Evidently, procrastination is a rich soil for baking projects.)
If you're unfamiliar with the way bagels are made, the most characteristic thing you should know is that they are cooked in two steps: first you poach them in a pot of water, then you bake them in the oven. And for some reason, the poaching step had always seemed daunting to me: what if I dropped them in and they fell apart, or dissolved, or sank to the bottom of the pot and never floated back up? Would I have to hire divers and send them on a recovery mission to salvage the sunken bagels? Reinhart didn't seem to suggest that this might happen, so I forged ahead.
Before I got to that point, though, I'd had to overcome two procurement hurdles. First, bagels must be made with flour that has a high rate of gluten: in the US, you would make them with high-gluten flour or bread flour. Unfortunately, French flour is significantly lower in gluten than American flours -- it has to do with the different types of wheat that we grow and mill -- and as Jane had warned me from her past experience, it would not work. So, my mission was to find powdered wheat gluten that I could add to my flour to boost its gluten content.
Second, part of what gives bagels their distinctive flavor is that the dough is lightly sweetened with barley malt, in powder or syrup form. In France, this goes by the names of sirop d'orge, malt d'orge or sirop d'orge malté. I had to try a few organic food stores, but I ended up finding both of these ingredients at the same one*; I almost hugged the cashier.
I mostly stuck to Peter Reinhart's method, except for a few things: I modified the recipe to use some of my sourdough starter in the sponge (enough to produce a final 1-to-3 ratio between starter and flour) and reduced the amount of commercial yeast. I also halved the recipe (his produces 12 large bagels; I made 8 medium).
I took some liberty with the order of the steps, too: Peter Reinhart's recipe has you make the dough, shape the bagels, lay them out on baking sheets, and then leave them overnight in the refrigerator (a step called retarding), before you poach and bake them the next day. The thing is, I have a Paris-sized fridge that is stuffed to the gills with, well, food, and the notion that I should just free up two (of the four) shelves to place baking sheets for the night is heroic fantasy.
So, instead of shaping the bagels pre-retarding, I simply placed the ball of dough in the fridge (it was a challenge just to make room for the bowl) and shaped it the next day. I was not struck by the wrath of the bagel gods during the night, so I assume it wasn't too big of a commandment to break.
The whole process was a lot of fun, and much less involved than I thought: the dough is rather stiff, which makes it easy to handle once kneaded (though I hear it's quite a workout to knead it by hand), and the poaching step went surprisingly smoothly.
As for the bagels themselves, they were fantastic, and just what I was hoping for: great flavor and just the right density and chewiness, the perfect carriers for the all-natural, chunky peanut butter I brought back from California. Now, if only I could persuade my neighborhood grocery store to carry cream cheese, I'd be all set.
* I just stumbled upon this video of a talk Peter Reinhart gave on bread, via Nicole's blog. I can't imagine anyone watching it and not wanting to bake bread right this minute.
** I found malt syrup and wheat gluten at the Biocoop store at 73 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière in the 9th (map it!), 01 44 79 06 44, open Mon-Sat 9:30am-8pm.
Sourdough Bagels
For the sponge:
- 185 grams (6 1/2 ounces) high-gluten or bread flour (I used 180 grams French T65 flour plus 5 grams wheat gluten)
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
- 215 grams (7 1/2 ounces) water
- 140 grams (5 ounces) 100% sourdough starter (read more about it here)
For the dough:
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
- 235 grams (8.3 ounces) high-gluten flour (I used 230 grams French T65 flour plus 5 grams wheat gluten)
- 6 grams (0.2 ounces) salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons malt syrup
For boiling and topping:
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- an assortment of seeds: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc.
Makes 8 medium bagels.
This recipe is a two-day process.
On the first day, prepare the sponge: combine all the ingredients for the sponge in a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir until you get a batter-like consistency, cover, and let rest for 2 hours, until bubbly.
Make the dough: add the dough ingredients, from yeast to malt syrup, to the sponge, stir to combine, then knead by hand for 10 minutes (others have reported it took longer than that) or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook for 8 minutes. All of the flour should be incorporated within the first 2 minutes or so: if the dough is too dry to incorporate all the flour, add a few drops of water. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and pliable; it will be fairly stiff, but it should feel pleasant to the touch, not dry.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until the next day (the dough can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days).
The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and let it come back to room temperature for 1 hour. Have ready 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, lightly misted with oil, or a silicon baking mat.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces, each of them weighing about 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces). Shape each piece into a roll as demonstrated in this video.
Pierce each roll in the middle with your thumb, then use the fingers of both hands to stretch out the hole you've just created, and form the typical bagel shape. At this point, the hole needs to be somewhat wider than you think it should be, because the dough will spring back as it rests. As you shape the bagels, arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with kitchen towels and let rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 260°C (500°F) with two racks close to the center of the oven, and bring a wide pot of water (about 15 cm or 6 inches deep) to the boil. Have ready one or several wide, shallow bowls (or soup plates) holding the seeds you want to coat the bagels with.
Check whether the dough is ready to be poached using the float test: drop one of the bagels in a bowl of room temperature water; it should float within 10 seconds (mine did a lot faster than that). If it doesn't, return to the baking sheet, and wait for 5 to 10 minutes before testing again.
When the dough is ready, add the baking soda to the pot of boiling water and drop in as many bagels as will comfortably fit; my pot could accomodate 4 bagels. Cook for 1 minute, flip using a skimmer or slotted spoon, and cook for 1 more minute on the other side (extend to 2 minutes if you like them chewier). Notice that the bagels have a prettier, rounded side; try to keep track of which one it is.
Fish out the bagels with the slotted spoon one by one, dip them on both sides in the prepared seed bowls, then place them, pretty side up, on the baking sheet. Repeat the poaching process with the remaining bagels.
Once all the bagels are poached and coated with seeds, insert the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Switch the baking sheets (so the bottom sheet is at the top and the top sheet is at the bottom) and rotate them front to back as well. Lower the heat to 230°C (450°F) and bake for another 5 minutes, a few minutes more if you like them a bit darker.
Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes, or completely, before eating. (Once entirely cooled, they may be frozen.)
Adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.
More Entries Like This One:
~ Sourdough English Muffins
~ Natural Starter Bread
~ No-Knead Bread
~ Bread Baking Class
~ The Best Baguette in Paris
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Comments (77)
Permalink | Posted by clotilde in Bread & Brioche - Recipe Inside!
You've inspired me! I've been wanting to make Peter Reinhart's recipe for quite awhile, now. I like my bagels with cream cheese and oven-roasted tomatoes (from Lynn Rosetto Kasper).
Posted by Linda on November 4, 2009 3:43 PMThese look incredible! I haven't been able to bring myself to eat a bagel since returning to Australia from Montreal, after the dozens of amazing ones I ate there, so perhaps I should be brave and try these too. I share your fear of having to call divers in, hehe :)
Posted by Conor @ HoldtheBeef on November 4, 2009 3:54 PMI just have to say that I have been a fan of peanut butter and tomato on a bagel for years! It truly is delicious--everyone should try it! (or, on toast, or some other yummy, sturdy thing to act as a vehicle for the PB & T!)
Posted by Erin on November 4, 2009 4:00 PMBeautiful bagels!
Posted by Jessica @ How Sweet It Is on November 4, 2009 4:22 PMThanks for the post! You give such great detailed instructions. I tried making bagels a few weeks ago but failed miserably at it. I wasn't sure if it was me or the recipe (my guess is me;). I'll give this one a try.
Posted by Unplanned Cooking on November 4, 2009 4:30 PMYou've inspired me. I'll have to try making these myself. These look wonderful!
Posted by Zia on November 4, 2009 4:55 PMAh the joys of bagels! If only we could get food chains like Noah's Bagels here instead of Subway. I love Kiri on my bagel with a dash of "Fruits Alfresco" grinded spices. Thanks for the blog :)
Posted by Kristin on November 4, 2009 4:56 PMYour taking the plunge into bagel making is encouraging. These photos may prove just the catalyst I need to venture along the path as well. Also, I'm reading "The Gastronomy of Marriage" too. It's an engaging and appetizing read so far.
Posted by Jennifer on November 4, 2009 4:59 PMThey look delicious!
I didn't know that about French flour. Does French bread have extra gluten added? I was in Paris over the weekend and swear I had the most delicious baguette I've ever tasted.
Posted by Sarah on November 4, 2009 5:05 PMCes bagels sont très beaux et la marche à suivre bien faite. Aux graines de pavot, c'est bien !
Posted by liseron on November 4, 2009 5:12 PMDes Bretzels faits maison aussi sont un vrai délice.
Thanks Clotilde! I haven't made bagels for ages and I absolutely love them! When I was little my friends and used to go to a little bagel shop (called the Bagel House) and order a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese and sprouts. It was mu favourite! I have always used Nigella's recipe, but I'll try the one you posted for a change. Bonne soiree!
Posted by Kristin on November 4, 2009 5:18 PMYour bagels turned out beautifully! I loved making this recipe and need to try it with a sourdough starter. Peter is an inspiration and his book is nothing short of amazing.
Posted by Phoo-D on November 4, 2009 6:00 PMI love bagel too! Here, in Montreal, I usually buy them from St-Viateur Bagel - a city landmark since 1957! They are cooked in a wood burning stove and taste amazing!
The main difference with Bagels in Montreal seems to be the hole in the middle ; we wrap our dough around a hand so there is a big hole. They are quite compact and taste a little sweet.
St-Viateur have a video online on how they do it, if you want to see the rolling technique : http://www.stviateurbagel.com/video/
Posted by Caroline Côté on November 4, 2009 6:34 PMThat looks delicious! I am totally going to have to try this recipe!
Posted by Bethany on November 4, 2009 6:44 PMMy mother always enjoyed her bagels with spreadable goat-cheese. The flavor is a bit stronger than cream cheese but still quite good. Also most of the cream cheese in the US is actually neufchatel. And if you're looking for authentic belly lox you can substitute nova and just salt it more, which is what I've been doing since I moved from NYC.
I heard you on NPR last night! The book sounds great!
Posted by Sara A. on November 4, 2009 7:42 PMHi Clothilde,
I absolutely love bagels but have never made them before. Actually, the thought of it scared me a little but your recipe looks doable so I guess I should take the plunge at last . Hopefully some organic shops here have malt syrup.
Posted by Vanessa on November 4, 2009 8:12 PMMy daughter's favorite lunch is a bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, lemon juice and black pepper on a toasted poppy bagel!
Posted by Gaelle@whatareyoufeedingyourkidsthesedays.com on November 4, 2009 8:20 PMCan't blame her for that, it's simply delicious!
One day, I'll make some with her... Thanks for the recipe!
good thing you didn't read Jeffrey Hamelman (Bread; A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes) or you might never have embarked on this glorious bagel-making adventure. He recommends constructing special bagel-baking boards covered with cloth which you soak in water before placing the bagels on them. After baking about 3-4 minutes you flip them off the boards onto your hearth or a baking tray and finish the bake. Unfortunately he doesn't really explain the purpose of the boards. He also directs the bagel-maker to place the poached bagels into an ice-water bath for 3-4 minutes before baking.
I have never used the boards or the ice bath, but have poached and baked bagels in a manner similar to yours. Salt bagels I made as a pastry student were deemed 'inedible' by the Chef/Instructor and made me feel like I'd spent a week in the desert.
Thank you for the lovely recipes, pictures and ideas on food!
Posted by Hilary McCandless-Beard on November 4, 2009 8:20 PMVery interesting recipe. I've baked quite a few bagels, a looong time ago, but always 100% yeast, never took the time to make a sourdough batch. When I'll find enough time, I'll try your recipe.
Posted by Flo Makanai on November 4, 2009 9:04 PMHow funny that you eat bagels in SF whereas when we Americans go to France we indulge in croissants!
Posted by Mario on November 4, 2009 9:31 PMPeanut butter and tomato? Really? Do you salt the tomato?
My mom and I love an english muffin, toasted, topped with peanut butter and crunchy lettuce, with coarse salt on top...
Don't think I won't be trying this :)
Posted by TheKitchenWitch on November 4, 2009 10:19 PMHi Clotilde,
I have been reading your blog for a while and have found it very interesting. It's full of nice recipes that I have also tried every now and then and they did work every time.
Any way, I was thinking to try a Julie&Julia kind of challenge this year and was wondering if you have any suggestions for that (including yours, of course). I am not familiar with your book unfortunately and could not find it anywhere and also, I was aiming for a more 'classic' one, without it being Julia Child's. Thanks a lot for your help, I really do love your blog :)
Posted by Bianca on November 4, 2009 10:35 PMDelicious bagel experimentation!
I have to say, though, with a modest smirk, I'm glad to hear about the trouble you had obtaining bagels in Paris. So often I read about fabulous French delicacies on your site, and I mourn the fact that I can't obtain sparklingly fresh macarons or authentic cherry clafoutis. (I live in Ottawa, Canada). But we do get good bagels here!
Just kidding..I know your site is about making these delectable things at home, but I am not much of a cook.
Keep on baking!
Posted by Rosemary on November 4, 2009 10:39 PMMy favourite bagel - sesame seed bagel, lightly toasted, topped with cream cheese and sliced English cucumber. Lightly season the cucumber with salt and pepper! Delicious!
Posted by Kelly on November 4, 2009 10:53 PMI so want to try this! I just started a sourdough starter (first time...) and I love bagles, so I guess this is a sign. Guess what I'm doing this weekend!
Posted by Jessica on November 4, 2009 11:02 PMthose bagels look magnificent - I love any toast with peanut butter and tomato and even love promite (a close cousin of vegemite) and tomato on toast. I also love cream cheese on bagels but found the cream cheese in US much nicer than the one I had in UK (where I was staying at the time)
Posted by Johanna on November 4, 2009 11:27 PMThe only time I made bagels was as an exchange student in Belgium. My host mom decided we should make 'NY bagels' and they were very easy (you could source cream cheese locally, or 'Philadelphia' as everyone called it). They were delicious!
I really want a good mixer so I can attempt these more physically demanding breads without having to take rest breaks. Yum.
Posted by design_SMITH on November 4, 2009 11:34 PMThis looks really good! I love bagels and will have to try this soon. :)
Posted by Su-yin on November 5, 2009 1:27 AMHigh gluten flour is readily available in the UK - most of it is derived from Canadian Red Wheat. A few years back I did a bread making course and the instructor commented on meeting Italian bakers who envied our use of Canadian Red Wheat or Manitoba wheat as they called it. The shame is that few British bakers produce better bread than the Italians and French (and Germans for that matter).
BTW, if you fancy a beigel in London try Beigel Bake on Brick Lane. They do very good beigels with cream cheese and smoked salmon. They also do salt beef sandwiches made with rye bread with caraway seeds. Be careful with the mustard though - they offer a full-on English mustard which is strong, so strong you feel the top of your head lift about half a metre when you bite into it.
Posted by blowback on November 5, 2009 2:48 AMThey look utterly delectable. Nicely done.
Posted by EB on November 5, 2009 3:37 AMThat picture you have of the bagel with cream cheese and slice of tomato made me actually smell the bagel and want one really badly. I love bagels.
Posted by MollyCookie on November 5, 2009 5:38 AMI've always wanted to make bagels (and doughnuts) but I've been too afraid that I'll lose patience halfway through! You make it sound so simple though, I might actually try it :)
Posted by S. on November 5, 2009 3:18 PMThese look great! Bagels are a staple food here in Montreal, but they are so easy to find that I've never considered making them. I like them with sesame seeds best.
Posted by Meg on November 5, 2009 3:44 PMYum! I cannot wait to try this recipe! It looks very doable and looks like it creates bakery-style bagels....at home!
Posted by Rebecca on November 5, 2009 5:16 PMWhat an informative post! I have wanted to try making bagels for a long time, but have never sat down to figure out the process.
Posted by Cookin' Canuck on November 5, 2009 6:26 PMThese look exquisite!
Posted by Evelyn on November 5, 2009 6:35 PMWell, I'm glad you made them and your post was interesting and the photos divine. BUT....I think I will buy mine and leave the making to you! I am not nearly so ambitious OR talented!!
Posted by Barbara on November 5, 2009 6:53 PMThey look great! You make it look so easy. This will be a great post to use when my classes are studying making bread. Where did you find the beautiful yellow tomatoes? Thanks so much.
Posted by The Teacher Cooks on November 5, 2009 9:47 PMyou could try making your own cream cheese. i make mine from strained yogurt (homemade), just strain until really dry, leave out for a day, covered, so that it develops a nicer tang, and that's it. it's not EXACTLY like cream cheese, but mine gets pretty close. healthier too.
Posted by stef on November 6, 2009 5:29 AMI think I have seen some Philadelphia Cream Cheese in a cheese shop in Paris about two weeks ago while I was walking rue Damrémont, I should have entered the shop to check if it was really it !
Posted by Adélie on November 6, 2009 11:44 AMPeanut butter and sliced tomatoes is one of my favourite lunches. I use Jean Hervé's peanut butter which is just ground peanuts and sprinkle the tomatoes with some Maldon salt (like fleur de sel).
Clotilde, your description has given me the courage not just to attempt some bagels, but also to have another go at gnocchi, which dissolved into a gooey mess the only time I tried to make them many years ago.
Posted by Aspiring Vegan on November 6, 2009 1:31 PMWell done! May I humbly suggest that the bagel+tomato picture be used for a desktop calendar at some point?
Posted by Lauren on November 6, 2009 5:46 PMI have to try this bagel recipe. Looks delicious! However, I am moving to San Francisco in a week and will have a tiny kitchen and even tinier refrigerator like you. I don't know how I'll be able to cook. Clothide (or anyone else with a tiny fride) do you have any hints for the tiny fridge conundrum? Any help would be appreciated.
Posted by renee on November 6, 2009 6:16 PMThanks,
Renee
My husband likes bagels a lot, so I have to make him some quite often, but I bake regular ones. I think I will try something like the ones here and surprise him. Thank you.
Posted by Cassie on November 6, 2009 7:44 PMI love my Bread Baker's Apprentice book too. Thank you for taking the time to test the recipe - I've always wanted to try bagels and now this is at the top of my list.
Peanut butter is one of my top 3 favorite foods. Peanut butter and bagel - yes. PB and tomato - I'll try it and get back to you!
Posted by Emily Phillips on November 6, 2009 8:49 PMYum, bagels! I've never tried to make homemade bagels, but I love the idea of it. I'll have to try on one of the rainy, just want to stay-inside-and-bake days this winter.
Thanks for the great inspiration!
Posted by Demeter Made on November 6, 2009 10:12 PM~Jessica
Thank you. I knew I had that jar of barley malt syrup in the closet for a reason - I just couldn't remember what it was!
Posted by tamater sammich on November 6, 2009 10:23 PMBrava! Your bagels are gorgeous! It's been years since my first (and last) time making bagels. They turned out great, but it was a very long process. I'll have to give your recipe a shot. But first, the sourdough starter...
Posted by Dawn in CA on November 7, 2009 1:01 AMThere is nothing that complements a freshly baked, hot bagel than a dab of cream cheese (especially with scallions) and a few slices of smoked salmon or gravlax. Capers are optional but welcome.
Posted by Elisson on November 7, 2009 4:09 AMI never realized you had to poach bagels and then bake them - the recipe looks very labour intensive but the end result looks worth it! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Trissa on November 7, 2009 7:33 AMHi Clothilde,
Love the blog! and Funnily enough I do most of my shopping (when I don't go to the market or to "picking" farms) at the Biocoop du Faubourg!
Posted by Margaux on November 7, 2009 10:04 PMI think you should probably read this (http://www.amazon.fr/Bagels-comme-New-York-quelques/dp/2501062574), made by a beloved friend of mine. A book I contributed to (just a little) and I remember seeing Marc (Bob) try millions of recipes of bagels before he was finally satisfied with his own version. I'll be sure to send him a link to this post!
Thanks and keep up the good work.
I've made Peter's bagels, too! People are so amazed when you present them with homemade bagels:) Thanks for simplifying this not-too-difficult recipe even more. But I'm not going to try the pb and tomato thing, sorry.
Posted by Stephanie on November 7, 2009 10:28 PMThere's something about the look of smooth balls of bread dough that I absolutely LOVE.
I am spoiled by all the great bagel stores here in NYC. Whenever I travel/leave this city for an extended time period I go through serious bagel withdrawal :(
Posted by Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home on November 8, 2009 12:21 AMThere is NOTHING better than a bagel with cream cheese and a tomato. Never tried a yellow one... yours looks amazing.
Posted by Haven in Paris on November 8, 2009 12:49 AMThe search for bagels in Paris has taken me hither and yon, and I recently came across Marc Grossman's little book (in French) called "Bagels, comme à New York". I blogged about it. Unfortunately he isn't planning to make them in production quantities to sell here.
And by the way, we recently went in search of your recommended Vietnamese bahn mi in Belleville. The tale is here.
Posted by Shelli on November 8, 2009 3:25 PMHi there!! I'm new to your blog and love it already. 1) your photos rock! 2) bagels + pnut butter are THE best thing!! [not sure about the tomato though, hehe] Off to sift through your blog =)
Posted by Ashley on November 9, 2009 4:47 AMClotilde: Are you sure about the baking time? I tried your recipe yesterday and only noticed after removing them from the oven that my other (successfully executed) bagel recipes call for more like 20-25 minutes in an oven of similar temperature. These turned out rather under-done. :( Thanks for going to the work of altering a recipe to use sourdough starter, though!
~Laura
Posted by Laura on November 9, 2009 2:40 PMLauren - Thanks for the suggestion, I'm making a note of it. :)
Laura - I'm sorry to hear that yours were underdone, but I am positive about the baking time, both from Reinhart's book and from my own experience. Perhaps you could check that your oven is not running colder than it says?
Posted by clotilde on November 9, 2009 3:06 PMThanks for this post and the video link to Peter Reinhart's lecture!
Posted by Hannah Lee on November 9, 2009 5:39 PMAfter our local kosher bagel shop gave up its rabbinic supervision, our Orthodox community was bereft. Finally, the Men's Club of my synagogue decided to take action and they're ordering frozen dough from H&H Bagels in New York City for final prepping and bakery on site each Sunday morning. I don't know if their minimum order size would preclude home bakers. But your post just might embolden me to try making my own.
Thanks so much for the Bagel recipe. Having just come back from a visit to San Francisco with some friends that live in Louvier I appreciate the bagels we have in the US. Our friends will love the recipe I can't wait to send it on to her. She wanted to eat bagels everyday as well! Now she can, even in France! JC
Posted by eatquiche.com on November 9, 2009 7:34 PMThe dough looks so supple and comforting I'd almost want to eat it unbaked :)
Nisrine
Posted by Dinners & Dreams on November 10, 2009 12:43 AMAdmirable! But see, I get my amazing bagels from a little shop just up the street, where they are served with a generous dollop of leftist ideology... making them at home would seem like betrayal. :-)
Posted by Onepot @ onepot.wordpress.com on November 10, 2009 3:37 AMEver try Montreal bagels? We have arguably the best bagels here, although they aren't what you'd expect. Much thinner, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Posted by Mony on November 10, 2009 4:16 AMThere are recipes for Montreal bagels as well as for the New York (Jewish) kind and for the no-hole bialys in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. The Montreal recipe calls for malt powder.
Posted by Hannah Lee on November 10, 2009 3:16 PMInteresting video, thanks for the link.
Posted by Tessa on November 10, 2009 11:54 PMI have noy had the courage to try baking bagels myself so I stroll down Rue des Rosiers and get them there. I haven't been disappointed yet.
Posted by Linda on November 11, 2009 11:22 AMMony - No, I've never had Montreal bagels, but I will at the first opportunity!
Linda - Would you share the name of the shop from which you buy bagels on rue des Rosiers? The ones I've tried were too brioche-y to me.
Posted by clotilde on November 11, 2009 12:48 PMI don't have any sourdough starter, can you suggest a substitute? I have found that Whole Foods generally carries malt syrup, in the honey section. My favorite (but old) bread cookbook: "Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads" has a recipe for bagels from a shop in Paris called the Jo Goldenberg restaurant-deli at 7 rue de Rosiers.
Posted by Kate on November 11, 2009 6:21 PMKate - Peter Reinhart's original recipe doesn't use sourdough, just instant yeast. If that's the route you chose, then you should make the sponge with 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast, 255 grams (9 ounces) high-gluten flour and 283 grams (10 ounces) water. The recipe flow is otherwise the same. Happy bagel-ing!
Posted by clotilde on November 11, 2009 7:01 PMGreat post! Some friends and I are working our way through Reinhart's book and I just made bagels this week too!
You can follow our progress here:
http://half-bakedbeauties.blogspot.com/
Posted by Kendra aka The Meanest Momma on November 11, 2009 8:25 PMI am extremely picky with my bagels! I've never made bagels but the only bagels I'd eat are from Mount Royal (based in Montreal).
Posted by April on November 13, 2009 10:02 AMI've never tried putting a slice of tomato with creamcheese nor with peanut better. Peanut better sounds different and I'm tempted to try. I'm out of bagels right now..must get some =)
Yummy. Thanks for sharing!
I'm not sure if anyone else has recommended this place - but have you looked into Bagels and Brownies in the 6th arrondissement? They have pretty decent bagels if you're looking for a quick fix!!
Ashley
Posted by Ashley Fahr on November 14, 2009 3:35 PMLove your post on making bagels. I believe I will be making my own shortly thanks to you.
Since you've already crossed the line by putting peanut butter and tomato slices on your bagels, might I suggest another topping? Cream cheese with homemade salsa. It's like tomato slice cubed. Just chop up tomato, fresh cilantro (coriandre), bit of garlic, slice of onion, splash of cider vinegar, squeeze of citrus (lemon and or lime), some sort of heat like pepper, red pepper powder or red hot or tobasco.
Your bagel experience will never be the same!
Posted by sheiler on November 15, 2009 7:34 PMI've been looking for a bagel recipe for ages. Hope it is as easy as it sounds! :)
Posted by Katrine on November 16, 2009 11:31 AMI always put about 2T of the malt syrup in the poaching water too (or, failing the syrup, a bit of brown sugar). It seems to add to the crust - gives it a golden shine and subtle malty flavor.
Posted by meswartz on November 22, 2009 10:51 PMOh - bagels with cream cheese and pickled jalapenos. YUM.
these look great.
Posted by Tara Bethune-Leamen on November 28, 2009 10:12 AMStupid question, but I have been looking for vital wheat gluten forever. Is it the same name in French or different?
Thank you,
Posted by Kate on December 22, 2009 8:00 PMKate