Bagels - so close to perfection!!

I made Natalie cinnamon raisin bagels for Xmas, and she "made" me engagement photos (soon to be up on the adam-and-angela wedding info blog, btw) so I used the opportunity to continue working on my bagel formula. I made two batches of 6, because the formula for the cinnamon raisin requires more yeast (cinnamon inhibits yeast growth) and sugar to add sweetness. The other batch was my usual, the favorite, the everything bagel (yum). I will include the formula for the basic bagel, and add the notes for the cinnamon raisin variant at the end.

The base for this formula is Bagels II, but I weighed out my ingredients this time and substituted malt syrup for sugar in the dough AND for honey in the poaching liquid. I found the malt syrup at Whole Foods. These bagels were very close to what I am looking for in terms of texture, but the dough didn't have the depth of flavor that would have made them perfect. Next time, I think I will combine Peter Reinhart's method of overnight retarding (not in a refrigerator storing the New Year's Eve champagne on NYE this time) and this formula. If that is the long-sought bagel recipe that makes the perfect bagel, I will certainly let you know.

Here is my formula for 6 bagels, and the procedure I used for this batch:

• 3 cups/483g bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp/ 6g vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp/16g malt syrup
• 1 cup/245g water (lukewarm)

For cinnamon raisin:

• Add an additional 3/4 tsp instant yeast
• 2 1/2 tbsp/ 39g turbinado sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup loosely packed raisins (rinsed in warm water)

I mixed the bread flour and salt in a bowl, then added the yeast to the water, the oil and the malt syrup (honey is a fair substitute). Then I combined all of these ingredients and mixed them into a ball (since the dough is so stiff, it seemed necessary to hydrate the yeast before dispersing it in the dough).  I kneaded the dough for around 15 minutes, adding about 1/2 of a cup of flour in the kneading process. Bagels take a lot of kneading. Knead until you start to sweat, then knead for about 5 more minutes. The dough will be just right. It should be very stiff but not tear when you knead it. Add a trickle or two of water if it tears until you can remedy this situation.


For cinnamon raisin, add the cinnamon and sugar to the dry ingredients. Once the dough ball has formed, knead the raisins in evenly. It will be difficult and seem like WAY too many raisins, but remember that the dough will rise around the raisins.

I made the dough and let it rise for about an hour at room temperature. Then, I shaped the bagels by cutting the dough into 6 pieces, rolling them into balls, poking a hole in the middle and working them into a solid bagel shape like this. I boiled them in our largest pot, filled 2/3 with water and a tablespoon of malt syrup. I boiled them 2 minutes a side, 3 at a time. They should get puffy when you boil them (not flat like my previous bagel attempt).

After I boiled them, I topped the everything bagels and baked them and the cinnamon raisin bagels in a 500F oven on the baking stone for about 25 minutes. I cooked them around 2 minutes too long, because while the bagels themselves were good, my "everything" on top was a bit scorched. The cinnamon raisin bagels came out great.

Next time, I will use cooler water on the bagels, and shape them after 30 minutes of bulk fermentation and let them retard in the fridge until the next day. The next try might be the ones, the bagel perfection I have been chasing!