Bagels | Sweetbitter
Bagels sometimes work, but not with anything on them besides cream cheese. You think you want lox, but you don't. You think you want bacon, but you don't. Salt will promote your headache.
Sweetbitter
Stephanie Danler
I spent fourteen years working in cafes, bars, bakeries and restaurants. Usually as a role out the front, but occasionally ducking into the kitchens to develop whatever kitchen skills I could. It was only in the previous year that I left that industry, moving to an office job. While I do enjoy my current job immensely, I still think back on those years working in restaurants with an odd fondness. The book Sweetbitter only brought those memories to life again, the after work drinks that inevitably went too long - the hungover chef desperately pleading for a coffee at 6am as they struggled to whip up a hollandaise, and the general camaraderie of it all.
I have to disagree a little with the claim from Sweetbitter's Tess in the quote above - nothing quite fixed my hangover in my barista days quite like a bacon and tomato sauce roll (back before I went strictly plant-based of course, now I'm all about those facon sandwiches). It was common for the breakfast chef in one particular cafe I was at, to make up a plate of them for the front of house staff, a silent exchange for unlimited coffees provided throughout the breakfast service.
The ever delicious 5 & Dime Bagel is amazingly, right near my office - they do vegan cream cheese, vegan lox and are generally all around awesome - they have been a saviour (even before I even worked in the office) in the days where a carb hit was desperately needed. I've been missing them thoroughly during Melbourne's lockdown and decided instead this past week to make my own - I've tried before, and the result was delicious but not a bagel. It was airy, quite crunchy and not really what you want. I used this great recipe for these ones and adjusted it slightly - I found the first time I made it, the dough wasn't quite right so I've altered the amounts a bit.
Bagels
Makes approx. 5 - 6 bagels
Ingredients
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp caster sugar
200ml warm water
4 cups bread flour
Sea Salt
Toppings
Sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
Garlic
Can be anything you like!
Combine 120ml of the warm water with the yeast and the sugar. Leave to sit for around 5 minutes or until the yeast becomes a little foamy.
In a large bowl mix the flour and 2 tsp of sea salt, make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. add in the remaining 80ml of warm water and mix the dough together, until it forms a firm dough. You may need a little more warm water during this part if it's too dry.
Lightly flour a surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead firmly for around ten minutes, or until the dough has become smooth and elastic like. If the dough is too sticky, you may need to work a little more flour into it - or a little more water if it's too dry.
Lightly oil a bowl and place the prepared dough inside, turning it so all the dough has a light layer of oil. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for one hour or until the dough doubles in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a clean surface and press it down. Split it into 5 - 6 pieces (depends how big you want your bagels!) and roughly mould each piece into a ball.
Making your fingers into a sort of cage around a ball of dough, roll it on a surface until it becomes smooth. Use two fingers to press a hole into the middle of the ball, gently widening the hole until it's as large as you like. Place onto a piece of baking paper and repeat the process with the rest of the dough, cover with a clean tea towel and leave for around 12 - 20 minutes to rise again.
While the bagels are rising put a large (depending how many bagels you want in at once, it doesn't have to be that bit) pot of water on and heat it to a boil. Preheat your oven to 180C.
Gently - I recommend using a spatula here - place each bagel into the boiling water (you can do multiple or just one at a time), leave in for around 6 minutes, making sure you turn it so both sides of the bagel are at covered in the water. Place the boiled bagel onto a baking paper lined oven tray, while the top is wet you want to sprinkle your toppings on - sesame seeds, poppy seeds etc.
Once all the bagels have been boiled and are on the baking tray, place it in the oven to bake for around 25 minutes or until they become golden brown on top.
Transfer to a cooling rack or dig into a fresh one straight away!