Bagels and Nosh!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Halfway through the week and I'm on my second snow day. Being somewhat trapped at home, I decided to use the ingredients I had to make (wait for it) BAGELS! I'm drooling. I loooooove bagels. Good, New York-style water bagels: first boiled, then baked. DELISH! Even though I couldn't get real NYC water (the Hudson River does not offer a hygienic option), I used good ol' NJ H20. Thanks Marcy Goldman, for keeping me occupied.

New York-Style Water Bagels

Marcy Goldman
Makes 10

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C warm water
• 1T dry yeast
• 1T sugar
• 1T veggie oil
• 2 tsp malt powder or syrup (optional)
• 4 1/2-5 1/2C bread flour
• 2 tsp salt
• Cornmeal, for sprinkling the pan (optional)
• Toppings of choice: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced garlic, caraway seeds, salt, etc...

Kettle Water

• 6 quarts water
• 2 T malt syrup
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture stand for a couple of minutes to allow the yeast to swell and dissolve. Stir in the oil, malt, and 1 cup of flour. Add the salt, then most of the remaining flour. Knead 10-12 minutes to make a very stiff dough. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest on a board for about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment and sprinkle each generously with cornmeal. Fill a large soup pot or Dutch oven with the water. Add the malt syrup and salt. Bring water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 450.
3. Divide the dough into 10 sections and form each one into a  10-in-long strip. Roll the ends together to seal and make a ring. (Lizzy Bee's Note: I did small rolls, punctured a hole in the center, and created a bagel shape.) Place the bagels on a very lightly floured surface near your stove and let them rest for 15-20 minutes. Bagels should have a half proof - that is, they should rise halfway or appear puffy.
4. Prepare 2 more baking sheets, lining one with a kitchen towel, the other with parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal. Reduce the water to a simmer and add the bagels a few at a time. Allow them to come to the surface and simmer for 30 seconds. Turn them over and cook the other side for about 45 seconds more (a total of 1 1/2 minutes). Place the boiled bagels on the towel-lined baking sheet. Leave plain or sprinkle as desired. (Lizzy Bee's Note: I spread an egg wash on the bagels before sprinkling.)
5. Place in the oven, reduce the heat to 425, and bake until done (17-22 minutes), turning the bagels once and switching the baking sheets once to ensure even browning.