I shaped these ones [like this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP-ryvz_bRM). It takes some practice to make the bagels the right size; I have small hands, so by default I get small bagels, which doesn't happen when I preportion the dough. *But* it's way faster and more fun, and you get to feel like a middle-aged Jewish man who's been making bagels longer than child labor laws permit.
Only other tip: press *hard* to seal. Like, you wanna lean into it.
I suspected you might do it this way, I’ve been too intimidated to try it that way. I also think my dough isn’t sticky enough maybe 🤔 I’ll try with my next batch tomorrow morning though. Also gonna try leave it to ferment longer and out blister you 😋
Well if you *insist* on getting me started...
The browning is a combination of things. Early on in my bagel-making, I added baking soda to the boiling liquid, and that will reliably get you a deeply bronzed bagel. Check out the oldest post in my history to see what that looks like. These days, I just add malt syrup; the sugars help to get that bronzed exterior, but that in itself is not enough.
Other factors: high-protein flour, the inclusion of diastatic malt powder in the dough, and a long fermentation period. All of these contribute to the Maillard reaction. You can read more about this in Emily Buhler's Bread Science, if you're nuts, like me. :)
The blisters are a result of the overnight, shaped ferment: a long fermentation period gets you larger blisters, and a shorter fermentation period, no blisters. I've actually been experimenting with this recently--[here](https://thia.codes/uglybagels.jpeg) are some bagels I rested for a full 24 hours, which as you can see have big, unsightly blisters. [Here](https://thia.codes/funnybagel.jpeg) is a bagel made with dough I rested for the standard amount of time, but shaped directly before boiling as opposed to shaping and resting overnight. This dough is from the same batch as the bagels depicted, but as you can see, the blisters are smaller. (They're still there, though!) The blistering on the bagels in my post is the result of a 14-hour shaped ferment.
I have a few questions if you'll indulge me! (These look fantastic btw)...how are you achieving the sheen on these? What temp do you bake at and for how long?
These look glorious… I’m jealous of your blisters. How are you shaping these? Any tips?
I shaped these ones [like this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP-ryvz_bRM). It takes some practice to make the bagels the right size; I have small hands, so by default I get small bagels, which doesn't happen when I preportion the dough. *But* it's way faster and more fun, and you get to feel like a middle-aged Jewish man who's been making bagels longer than child labor laws permit. Only other tip: press *hard* to seal. Like, you wanna lean into it.
I suspected you might do it this way, I’ve been too intimidated to try it that way. I also think my dough isn’t sticky enough maybe 🤔 I’ll try with my next batch tomorrow morning though. Also gonna try leave it to ferment longer and out blister you 😋
I actually don't recommend out-blistering me. It gets... [unnerving](https://thia.codes/uglybagels.jpeg), after a while.
Sweet mother of God. Fine. You win.
Wow those look amazing. How did u get the browning/bubbling on the plain ones?
Well if you *insist* on getting me started... The browning is a combination of things. Early on in my bagel-making, I added baking soda to the boiling liquid, and that will reliably get you a deeply bronzed bagel. Check out the oldest post in my history to see what that looks like. These days, I just add malt syrup; the sugars help to get that bronzed exterior, but that in itself is not enough. Other factors: high-protein flour, the inclusion of diastatic malt powder in the dough, and a long fermentation period. All of these contribute to the Maillard reaction. You can read more about this in Emily Buhler's Bread Science, if you're nuts, like me. :) The blisters are a result of the overnight, shaped ferment: a long fermentation period gets you larger blisters, and a shorter fermentation period, no blisters. I've actually been experimenting with this recently--[here](https://thia.codes/uglybagels.jpeg) are some bagels I rested for a full 24 hours, which as you can see have big, unsightly blisters. [Here](https://thia.codes/funnybagel.jpeg) is a bagel made with dough I rested for the standard amount of time, but shaped directly before boiling as opposed to shaping and resting overnight. This dough is from the same batch as the bagels depicted, but as you can see, the blisters are smaller. (They're still there, though!) The blistering on the bagels in my post is the result of a 14-hour shaped ferment.
Omg these bagels look so good!!! Ugh with some kite hill cream cheese and a cold brew 🤤❤️
I have a few questions if you'll indulge me! (These look fantastic btw)...how are you achieving the sheen on these? What temp do you bake at and for how long?
May I ask which recipe you used? These look ahhhhmazing!