Yield: Twelve 4-inch bagels
TOTAL FORMULA
PREFERMENTED FLOUR: 20%
| INGREDIENTS | METRIC (GRAMS) | VOLUMETRIC (APPROXIMATE) | BAKER’S % |
| All-purpose flour | 824 | 6¾ cups + 2 tablespoons | 100% |
| Water | 537 | 2¼ cups + 2 tablespoons | 65% |
| Salt, fine | 16 | 2¾ teaspoons | 2% |
| Yeast, dry instant | 3 | 1 teaspoon | 0.40% |
| Barley malt syrup, for boiling the bagels | 42 | 2 tablespoons | |
| Salt, for boiling the bagels | 19 | 1 tablespoon | |
| Cornmeal, for dusting the pan (optional) | |||
| Sesame seeds, coarse salt, dehydrated onion, or poppy seeds, for topping the bagels | |||
| Total Weight | 1,380 | All | 167.40% |
POOLISH
| INGREDIENTS | METRIC (GRAMS) | VOLUMETRIC (APPROXIMATE) | BAKER’S % |
| All-purpose flour | 165 | 1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons | 100% |
| Water | 206 | ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons | 125% |
| Yeast, dry instant | 1 | ¼ teaspoon | 0.75% |
| Total Weight | 372 | All | 225.75% |
FINAL DOUGH
| INGREDIENTS | METRIC (GRAMS) | VOLUMETRIC (APPROXIMATE) | |
| Water | 331 | 1½ cups | |
| Poolish | 372 | All | |
| All-purpose flour | 659 | 5½ cups | |
| Salt, fine | 16 | 2¾ teaspoons | |
| Yeast, dry instant | 2 | scant ¾ teaspoon | |
| Total Weight | 1,380 | All |
DAY ONE, PART ONE
POOLISH
In a medium bowl, stir together the room-temperature flour and yeast, then add the tepid water (75°F to 80°F).
Mix until smooth.
Cover and set at room temperature for 2 to 8 hours. The broad time range for the poolish is for both convenience and flavor. More time will yield more flavor, but even a few hours will be enough to make a noticeable difference.
DAY ONE, PART TWO
MIX
Calculate temperatures. See Setting Temperatures for instructions. Desired dough temperature: 76°F
In a large mixing bowl, combine the final dough water and poolish. Mix with your hands until the poolish is broken up in the water, then add the flour, salt, and yeast. Stir with the handle end of a wooden spoon until the dough forms a shaggy mass. If you find it easier, after some stirring, scrape the dough out of the bowl with a plastic scraper onto your work surface and knead briefly with your hands just until the dough comes together. Resist the urge to add more flour. Scrape the dough off the work surface and return it to the bowl for bulk fermentation.
BULK FERMENTATION
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and allow the dough to rise, covered, for 2 hours at room temperature, folding as directed below.
FOLD
Fold after 60 minutes, then leave untouched for the second hour. See Folding for instructions.
After 2 hours, place the dough in the refrigerator overnight, 8 to 12 hours.
DAY TWO
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and set it at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
DIVIDE AND PRESHAPE
Divide the dough into 12 pieces weighing about 115 grams each, and round tightly into balls. See Dividing and Preshaping for instructions.
Cover and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
SHAPE
To shape, poke a hole in the exact middle with a finger and gently, slowly expand the opening to 2 to 3 inches. The opening will close some as the pieces sit.
Place the shaped pieces back on the floured surface. Cover and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before boiling. See below for an alternative method.
PREPARE TO BAKE AND BOIL THE BAGELS
Bagels may be baked on a sheet pan or on a piece of parchment paper slid directly onto a baking stone.
Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to the size of your sheet pan or to fit your baking stone.
If using a sheet pan without parchment paper, dust it with semolina or cornmeal or lightly oil it to prevent sticking.
While the shaped bagels rest and proof, prepare the toppings. Spread a pan with sesame or poppy seeds, or have ready a small container of coarse salt. Dehydrated dry onion and garlic are also excellent choices.
Thirty minutes before you plan to bake the bagels, preheat the oven to 475°F.
BOIL
Put 4 inches of water in a 6-quart stockpot, then add the barley malt and salt. Bring to a medium boil.
Add the bagels, 3 at a time, to the boiling liquid. Using a slotted spoon, flip them after 30 seconds and remove them after another 1 to 1½ minutes.
For plain bagels, allow them to drip for just a moment before placing them on your parchment paper or prepared pan. For seeded bagels, allow them to drain briefly above the pot, then set top side down in the seeds. Place them seed side up on your sheet pan or parchment paper, leaving 2 to 3 inches between them. If baking 6 bagels at a time, distribute them as evenly as possible for best results.
Continue boiling until your parchment paper or sheet pan has 6 bagels (half the batch), then slide them into the oven.
BAKE
Bake the bagels for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans or parchment paper halfway through the baking. They are done when the bottoms and sides are well colored and firm.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD
If you would rather bake the next day, the bagels may be refrigerated immediately after shaping, covered, on a sheet pan dusted with cornmeal or semolina.
On day two you may proceed with the recipe, adding the cold bagels directly to the boiling liquid and proceeding. The cold bagels will have a thicker crust.