bagel.
Crispy exterior, soft, chewy interior. Montreal style.
Ingredients:
400g bread flour.
200g water, warm (~100°F).
1 egg.
15g sugar.
15g honey.
15g diastatic malt powder.
3g instant dry yeast.
15g canola oil.
13g kosher salt.
sesame and/or poppy seeds.
poolish:
100g bread flour.
100g water.
1g (1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast.
boiling liquid:
3L water
150g honey.
cream cheese:
500mL homogenous milk.
250mL 35% heavy cream.
1 tbsp lemon juice.
5g (1 tsp salt).
Equipment:
large pot.
mixing bowls.
baking trays.
food processor.
Yield:
8 bagels.
1 cup of cream cheese.
Execution:
poolish.
Mix together the poolish ingredients, cover tightly with cling film and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours.
2. mixing & cold ferment.
Whisk the egg, water, sugar, honey, dry yeast and oil together until well combined.
Separately, whisk together the flour, salt and malt powder.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the poolish.
Stir together until it forms a shaggy dough, transfer to a work surface and knead for 10-12 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
When you stretch a small portion of the dough you should be able to see light through it without the dough ripping. If your dough rips before it can become transparent, continue to knead.
Form the dough into a ball and place into a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes.
3. portioning.
Transfer the dough to a work surface, divide the dough into 8 pieces, each weighing around 100-115g.
One portion at a time; roll into a log, roughly 9-10” in length, connect the two ends of the log with about 3” of overlap, now using your palm, roll the connected seam together gently.
Place the formed bagles onto a tray dusted with flour, let rest for 15 minutes.
4. boiling and baking.
Preheat a convection oven to 425°F.
Add the boiling liquid ingredients to a large pot, bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling add the bagels in batches, do not overcrowd.
Allow the bagels to boil for 30 seconds, then flip and boil for another 30 seconds.
Remove the bagels from the water and coat on both sides with your desired topping while still warm.
Place the bagels onto the parchment lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, keep them evenly spaced out.
Halfway through baking rotate the tray 180°.
Remove from the oven once they have formed an even golden crust.
Allow to cool for 2 hours before serving.
5. cream cheese.
Combine milk and cream in a saucepan, heat the mixture to 185°F over medium heat.
Cut the heat, add the lemon juice and continue to stir for 2 minutes, curds should start to form and separate from the whey (yellow-ish liquid.)
Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Pour the curdled milk & cream mixture into a colander lined with cheesecloth.
Squeeze the cheesecloth to drain as much liquid as possible.
Place the solids, into a food processor and season with salt, blend for about 1 minute or until smooth and aerated.
Season to taste with salt and lemon juice.
Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to one week.