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Sourdough-ish bagels

Recipe

What you’ll need

  • 1 can of beer (330ml), pale ales work well
  • 500g bread flour
  • 12g salt
  • 7g Dry active yeast
  • Sourdough starter (optional)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar or molasses
  • 1tbsp baking soda
  • Bagel topping such as
    • Sesame seeds,
    • Everything bagel seasoning
    • Poppy seeds
    • Sea salt

How to make it

  1. Pour the beer into a saucepan over a low heat and warm until it is 30°C - 35°C
  2. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, yeast and sourdough starter (if using) and beer. Combine together into a shaggy dough. From here you’ll need to develop the gluten in the dough one of 3 ways:
    1. Knead knead knead!  Once you’ve mixed the dough together into a shaggy clump, turn it out on to the bench-top and knead.
    2. Use a stand mixer:  Put the dough in a stand mixer bowl and using the dough hook, knead on a low speed until the gluten is sufficiently developed.
    3. Knead, rest, repeat:  Firstly knead for only a minute or two to begin to develop some strength and then leave it covered for around 10 minutes. Repeat this 2 - 4 times until the dough is strong enough
  3. Leave covered in a warm area to proof until the dough has risen about 50% in size. This time will vary based on how much yeast vs sourdough starter you added.
  4. Once risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into roughly 125g pieces and shape according to the following video:
5. Place all the shaped bagels on a baking paper lined tray and lightly cover with cling film. Leave to proof until they've grown around 50% in size. 6. Preheat the oven to 240°C and get a large pot of water boiling. Once the water is boiling add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or molasses to the water along with the baking soda and stir until combined. 7. Add the bagels in batches, to avoid overcrowding, into the pot of boiling water and cook on each side for 30 seconds. Drain on a cooling rack. 8. While the bagels are still sticky on the outside, coat them in your topping of choice and place then back on the baking paper lined tray. Add the bagels to the oven and cook for 15 - 17 minutes.