Bagels (Pop Pop's recipe)

My Dad loved to bake breads, bagels, and biscotti (he died in December of 2020 from a brain tumor).  Thankfully, we have his recipes.  Delilah has been making bagels for us with this recipe and they are just amazing.  It's a very similar process to pretzel making.  Give it a try!  My cousin makes these with his kids in honor of my Dad and they call them "Jaygels" as my Dad's name is Jay.  It's pretty awesome to hear how many people loved my dad and how many are staying connected through baking his recipes.  I will definitely share more recipes soon.

Bagels

makes 10-12 medium sized bagels for a single recipe OR 14-16 medium sized bagels for a recipe and a half

(ingredients for a recipe and a half are in parentheses)

DOUGH

1/3 cup (1/2 cup) Pumpernickel, Rye, or Whole Wheat Flour

3 3/4 cups (5 1/2 cups) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

1 1/4 cups (generous 1 3/4 cups) warm water

2 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) salt

1 tablespoon (1 1/2 tablespoon) non-diastatic malt powder

1 tablespoon (1 1/2 tablespoon) instant yeast

WATER BATH

2 quarts/8 cups (12 cups) water

2 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) non-diastatic malt powder or brown sugar

1 tablespoon (1 1/2 Tablespoon) granulated sugar

TOPPINGS, optional

everything bagel seasoning

kosher salt

dried onions

dried garlic

poppy seeds

sesame seeds

Combine the dough ingredients in a stand mixer on medium-low speed for 10 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff.

Remove the dough from the bowl with one hand and grease the bowl with the other.  Place the dough back in the bowl.  Let it rise, covered, 60 to 90 minutes.

Divide the dough into pieces (10-12 for a single batch, 14-16 for a batch and a half). Roll one piece at a time into a smooth ball. Let the balls rest, covered, for 30 minutes; they'll puff slightly.

Bring the water, malt powder, and sugar to a very gentle boil in a wide-rimmed pot. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut or poke a hole through the center of each ball. Stretch the hole with your fingers until it's 2" in diameter. Place the bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Transfer bagels, four at a time, to the simmering water. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, flip over gently, and cook for another minute.

Remove the bagels from the water and return to the baking sheet, immediately sprinkling optional toppings on one side and flipping to repeat on the other. Repeat with the remaining bagels.

Bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes, until they're set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of one registers at least 190°F.

Remove the bagels from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Bagels are best eaten the day they are made but they are ok the next day.  If you know that you wont eat them fast enough then slice and freeze them.  They toast up perfectly directly out of the freezer.