Okay where do I begin… Hello, I am back. Well, I’ve never been gone (active on Instagram and just finished #KAF60dayschallenge!), but I haven’t written a single post in two months. So MANY things happened while I was not here. First of all, I went back to school full time to study graphic design. What I mean full time, I mean FULL TIME. I basically got up at 5:30 everyday (yup we have full day class everyday) and spent my weekends doing homework and sleeping.
Although I’ve never really liked children and always told my girlfriends I would rather die alone than giving birth and raising a little monster in my house, well, when it happens, it happens. I still doubt my ability of being a mother (omg that sounds horrifying), but I know the man I love will become a great father.
But man, the whole pregnancy is hard. I know some women are blessed and don’t really feel anything. I feel AWFUL. Thanks god I passed the first trimester, as I’m not sure how many more days I can last of constant nausea, throwing out everything I ate, and feeling tired all the time. And my appetite changed so much. Everything I loved, I can no longer even stand their smell. Coffee, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, bagels, etc. This + not feeling well put me off from baking and writing posts for so long.
Serious Eats Homemade Bagels Recipe Report
Yield: About 8 three-inch bagels
Recipe from Stella Parks
Report Author: HerBakingLab
Materials:
For Yukone (Tangzhong): 
1. 6 ounces cold water (3/4 cup; 170g)
2. 3 1/2 ounces bread flour (about 3/4 cup; 100g)
For the dough:
1. 12 1/2 ounces bread flour (about 2 3/4 cups; 355g)
2. 1/2 ounce sugar (1 tablespoon; 15g)
3. 2 1/2 teaspoons (9g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
4. 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast (4g)
5. 3 1/2 ounces water (1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon; 100g)
To boil:
1. 1 ounce barley malt syrup (4 teaspoons; 30g), optional
PROCEDURE:
1. For the Yukone: In a 10-inch skillet, whisk water and flour over medium heat until the paste is a thick lump, about 2 minutes. Scrape onto a plate, spread into a 1-inch layer, cover and cool until to about 75°F (23°C), around 30 minutes.
2. For the Dough: Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Once combined, add cooled yukone and water (if using active dry yeast, first dissolve with the water). Process until dough is silky smooth, about 90 seconds. Turn dough onto a clean, un-floured surface, and divide into 8 roughly equal portions (3 ounces or 85g each).
3. To Shape: Cup a portion of dough beneath your palm and work in quick, circular motions to form a tight skin around the ball, with only a tiny seam along the bottom. If the seam is large or irregular, continue rounding until the bottom is nearly smooth. Cover with plastic and let rest 15 minutes. Poke a hole into the center of each portion with a damp fingertip, then gently stretch into a 3 1/4-inch ring, wetting your hands in cold water as needed to prevent sticking. Arrange on a well greased, parchment-lined half sheet pan, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 24 to 36 hours, depending on your schedule.
4. To Boil: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Fill a stainless steel pot with about 3 inches of water, stir in malt (if using), and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet or cutting board with a thick layer of paper towels. Working two or three at a time, boil the bagels about 30 seconds per side. Place on paper towels, then immediately transfer to a parchment-lined half sheet pan (if left on the paper towels too long, the bagels will stick; if this happens, quickly dip the bagel back into the hot water, and the wet paper towel will peel right off).
5. To Finish: Bake until blistered and golden brown all over, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes. To serve, split horizontally with a serrated knife. Uncut, bagels can be stored up to 48 hours in a paper bag (or loosely wrapped in parchment), then sliced and briefly toasted to serve.
OBSERVATIONS:
1. Using Tangzhong (Yukone) method is really not scary at all. You basically just premix some flour with water and boil them, but it produces a softer and longer lasting bread. I have used this method before, mostly for Asian style soft bread. So when I first saw this recipe, I had doubt about using Tangzhong in making bagel. However, it worked wonderfully! You still get the chewy texture and slightly hard crust you’re looking for, but longer shelf life.
2. The recipes calls for a food processor to mix the dough. I only have a mini one, so I used my Vitamix instead. Bad choice. Don’t do that! I ended up transferring all the mess to the counter and hand mix the dough, which can be done in the first place.
Notes:
1. It’s my first time making bagel, so I did a bit of research. I spot Lekue Bagel Molds on King Arthur Flour’s blog and found it interesting. They’re actually very helpful, if you have a hard time shaping or boiling your bagel. However, I used them wrongly this time. Hence the almost not existed hole
2. I’m pretty satisfied with my first attempt of making bagels! Thanks to Stella Park for this recipe. If you’re new to home bagel making, I highly recommend you try it. 😎
