KitchenNippon

≪Ingredients≫
Bread flour 270g (9.5oz)
Rye flour (Whole wheat flour) 30g (1.0oz)
Yeast solution 170cc (5.7oz Adjust depending on the condition of the flour, humidity, etc.）
Salt 1tsp
Molasses 1tbsp
(Or, brown sugar, malt syrup, honey, sugar, etc.)
Cookie sheet, parchment paper

≪How to Make≫

(1) Mix the yeast solution well.

(2) Combine everything. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is about as soft as your earlobe. If the dough becomes too stiff while kneading, it’s OK to add some of the yeast solution. When you finish kneading, form the dough into a round shape.

※ If you use a baking machine for kneading, set it to knead for 5 minutes. Then knead for an additional 3 minutes by hand. If you use a food processor, knead for 1 minute.

(3) Let the dough rise to 2-3 times its original size. Do not let the surface become dry. At a room temperature of around 24℃ (75℉), the dough will require a few hours to rise. ＜First rising＞

If the dough begins to dry out, cover it with a damp cloth.

A finger test will tell you when the first rising is finished. Put some flour on your index finger, plunge your finger into the middle of the dough and pull it out. If the hole you make does not close up, the dough is finished rising.

During winter, when room temperatures may be lower than 24℃ (75℉), the first rising could take up to 24 hours. During summer, with a room temperature of around 30℃ (86℉), the first rising could finish in as little as 2-3 hours. Managing the first rising at warmer temperatures, therefore, requires greater attention.

(4) Once the first rising is finished, press the dough out with the palm of your hand to let the gas out. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and make each into a ball. Set these aside for about 1 hour ＜Second rising＞. After the second rising, the dough should have fine air pockets throughout. These will cause the dough to expand significantly as it bakes.

※ As in the first rising, take care not to let the surface of the dough dry out.

※ In general, let the dough rest about 20 minutes after letting the gas out and making it into balls. Then take the rested dough and shape it for baking.

(5) Next, roll each piece of dough up and form it into a doughnut shape. Set these aside for about 20 minutes ＜Third rising＞

(6) Add water and molasses to a large pot and bring this to a boil. Boil the raw bagels 2 minutes on each side. The raw bagels will at first sink to the bottom of the pot, but should rise after about 30 seconds.

(7) Note that boiling time varies depending on the recipe, from 30 seconds to 6 minutes, so feel free to experiment.

(8) Preheat the oven to 250℃. Place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place the boiled bagels on the paper. When the oven has reached 250℃, place the bagels in it for 13 minutes, then turn the heat off. Do not open the oven. Leave the bagels in the oven for 3 minutes after turning the heat off. Baking times will differ depending on the oven. A bit of trial and error may be necessary to find the right amount of baking time for the oven you use at home.

《Difference between Bagels and Other Bread》
The biggest difference between bagels and other bread is that they are boiled before baking. Gas within the dough expands as a result, but will not expand further as a result of baking. This produces a relatively hard bread. Boiling also causes water to be absorbed into the surface of the dough, which then becomes a little shiny as a result of baking.

Recipe Developed by:Kaoru Shibata