Makin' Bagels

[Willy]

I made Peter Reinhart's bagels (from "Bread Baker's Apprentice") and, wow, easy and much better than store bought--at least store bought as they exist in the great Southwest. We have good Mexican, but, NY bagels, not so much. The recipe is here: https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/bronx-worthy-bagels/

I didn't have, and couldn't find, the high protein flour he recommends (14%), so I used KA BF and added some vital wheat gluten (Bob's Red Mill--75%-80% protein). I calculated that 2.5% VWG and 97.5% grams of KA BF would boost the protein to 14+%. It worked just fine. Nice and chewy! Split, toasted, and cream "cheesed", er, schmeared! YUM!

If'n you're a bagel fan, do this!

[Don Jr]

My wife makes those same bagels. The last time she made them we didn't have room for them in the fridge so I put them in the garage on a table (it's cold where I live). Although we can get good bagels locally nothing is quite as good as this particular recipe out of Bread Bakers Apprentice. We also use KA BF and we have a local spice store that makes an everything bagel blend that we buy. These bagels freeze well and we actually ate the last two for breakfast this morning. To say I was shocked to read your post would be an understatement.

[Willy]

Four waiting to be consumed soon--six in the freezer. They are GOOD, aren't they! If'n you're feeling like experimenting, see if you (er, your wife) can add the vital wheat gluten and notice any difference.

[RonB]

I like and occasionally use that recipe too. I also like Montreal bagels. I'll see if I can dig up the recipe I use for them.

[Don Jr]

We're making the Bread Bakers Apprentice recipe again this weekend but with high gluten flour. It's getting cold here again so we're forming them in about an hour and then they're going into the garage for the night. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'd be curious to try that Montreal recipe as well.

[RonB]

Me too. I can't find it now. I know I printed it out and made the bagels, but I can't find it. I also don't see any recipes on line that look like the one I used, and I'm not gonna post a recipe I haven't tried.

[Atalanta]

We made bagels from this recipe on Serious Eats. Not bad for a first try, we used generic bread flour.

[RonB]

Atalanta - I've been wanting to make that recipe for a while. When I do get around to it, I'm going to retard half the bagels overnight in the refrigerator.