Breads

Sourdough Bagels

Source: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2021/06/easy-homemade-sourdough-bagels/print/28357/

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 150 g (3⁄4 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter
  • 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tsp) warm water (See Notes below for temperature range)
  • 24 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
  • 500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) King Arthur bread flour
  • 9 g (1 1⁄2 tsp) fine sea salt 
  • Cooking spray or oil, (for coating the plastic wrap)

For the water bath

  • 20 g (1 tbsp) honey

Toppings

  • Mixed seeds, such as poppy, sesame, fennel, flax and sun flower seeds or Everything Bagel Spice. 

Notes, Tips & Variations

  • Bread flour is best. It’s high protein content creates that classic chewy bite. In a pinch, I’ve had success with King Arthur all purpose flour instead (11.7%).
  • Use a kitchen scale to weigh your bagels. They’ll be uniform in size.
  • Toppings won’t stick? Try an egg wash for super sticking power.
  • Water temperature: In winter, I use 85-95 F water (29-35 C) to give the rise a boost. In summer, I use cooler water, about 55- 60 F (13-16 C) to slow down and control the rise. 
  • Cinnamon raisin variation: add 6 g (2 tsp) of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients (or try 50/50 ground cinnamon and pumpkin spice). Then make the dough. While the dough is resting in Step #2, soak 80 g (1/2 cup) raisins in warm water to soften. Drain in a fine mesh strainer and pat dry using a paper towel before adding them to the dough.


Instructions


  1. Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk the starter, water, and sugar together with a fork. Add the flour and salt. Combine to form a rough dough, then finish mixing by hand until no lumps of our remain. The dough will be very stiff and dry. Note: it’s important to use a large mixing bowl- this dough is strong and rises quite high. As a mixing alternative, use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook; run on low speed for 5 to 6 minutes to combine and knead.
  2. Cover the dough with a very damp towel and let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After the dough has rested, work the mass into a semi-smooth ball, about 15 to 20 seconds. 
  3. Bulk Rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated in oil to prevent sticking. Let rise until double in size, about 10-12 hrs when the temperature is 68 F (20 C); 8 to 10 hours @ 70°F (21°C). Note: in the summer, rise the dough during the day. Once the dough is almost double in size, cover and chill the whole bowl overnight (it will continue to rise slightly in the fridge). Proceed using the cold dough the following day.
  4. Shape: Line a sheet pan with a nonstick silicone mat or parchment paper. If using parchment, lightly coat with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking. 
  5. Remove the dough onto a non- floured work surface. Flatten the dough into a rectangle and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 115 g (4 oz) each. Gather the ends, flip the dough over, and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest on your lined sheet pan for 10 to 15 minutes to relax the gluten. 
  6. Working with one ball of dough at a time, poke a hole straight through the center. Move your finger around in a circular motion to gently stretch the dough until the hole is about the size of a walnut. You can also lift up the dough, insert both index fingers through the center hole, and barrel roll to gently stretch the opening. When finished, place the dough back onto the sheet pan. It’s okay if the hole shrinks slightly. Repeat shaping the remaining dough. 
  7. Second Rise: Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough will puff up only slightly at this stage. 
  8. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the honey and whisk well to dissolve. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Add the seeds to a rimmed tray or shallow bowl. 
  9. Boil the bagels: Add 2 to 3 bagels into the pot and simmer for 30 seconds on each side for a thin crust. Note: if using cold dough from the fridge, the bagels might not float to the surface right away. Give them a nudge after 30 seconds or so and be patient. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bagels back to the sheet pan you used earlier, placing them rounded side up.
  10. Once slightly cool but still wet, dip the rounded side of the bagels into the seeds to coat. Place back onto the sheet pan and finish boiling the rest of the bagels. 
  11. Bake: Place your sheet pan on the center rack. Bake the bagels for about 20 to 25 minutes. Flip them over to briefly cook the bottom side, about 1 to 2 minutes or less. When ready, your bagels will be puffed up, light golden brown, and feel light to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, but indulge yourself and eat one (or two) warm. 

The chewy texture of bagels is best enjoyed when made fresh. Store in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Bagels also freeze well; freeze them whole or sliced, covered in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. 

Sourdough Bread

Source: https://ultimatefoodgeek.com/2024/03/28/simple-sourdough-for-lazy-people/

The Recipe

In a large bowl, combine:

Stir to distribute the starter into the water. Then add:

Stir until it’s too stiff to work with a spoon. Use your hand to bring the ingredients together into a uniform dough, about 15 seconds. (If your dough is too sticky, your starter is higher than 100% hydration. Watch my “Troubleshooting Simple Sourdough” video for a fix!)

Oil the bowl and return the dough, covering the bowl. (Or place the dough in an oiled, gallon-sized ziploc bag.)

Rise at room temperature until at least doubled in bulk. For most people, this will take at least 12 hours, though robust starters or warm fermentation temperatures may decrease this time, and starving starters or cold temperatures may extend it upwards of 30 hours or longer. You’ll get to know your starter’s characteristics as you bake more frequently.

Unless you are using robust, regularly fed starter…once the dough has doubled, you have an additional window of 12ish hours that the dough can remain at room temperature before it needs to be shaped. (I typically rise about 20 hours before shaping, so I start my dough about 24 hours before I plan to serve bread.) If you are using robust starter, keep reading to understand about rise times.

The longer the dough rises, the better the flavor will be. You can also refrigerate this dough after mixing, for up to 4 days. I recommend 6 hours of countertop time before refrigerating. Your dough STILL must double in volume before shaping, though, and the refrigerator slows this process significantly. Remove from the fridge at least 2 hours before shaping…longer if the dough hasn’t doubled yet.

DO NOT proceed to shaping unless your dough has doubled! (Even if that takes 36 hours or longer, for some very sluggish starters or very cold kitchens.)

Shape the dough and place it into a GREASED baking vessel…a Dutch oven or loaf pan. Cover and rise on the counter-top for 90 minutes. (NOTE: If your initial rise was fast…less than about 12 hours…your second rise should only be 45-60 minutes. If your initial rise took longer than 30 hours, your second rise may need to be 120 minutes or longer. You will learn your starter’s ideal timing the more you bake with this method.)

(If your dough is too wet and sticky to handle, your starter is over 100% hydration. Discard all but 2 ounces of starter, feed with 4 ounces flour and 4 ounces of water, sit for 1 hour at room temp, then refrigerate. The next day, repeat this step. This will bring your starter closer to the 100% hydration rate that works for this recipe. Salvage THIS dough by kneading in a little more flour until the dough is firm enough to shape.)

Score the loaf, either with a razor blade or lame, or with scissors. Place into a cold (un-preheated) oven and turn the oven on to 425F / 220C oven and bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from baking vessel and cool fully before slicing.

This recipe can be baked in a 9″ loaf pan. Ideally, invert another loaf pan of the same size on top of the loaf pan containing the dough, to create the same moisture-concentrating effect as the Dutch oven. Bake for the same amount of time, starting in a cold oven and turning on to 425F, for 45 minutes covered with the other loaf pan, and 15 minutes uncovered.

This recipe can be baked in a cloche or multicooker. Place the shaped loaf onto some parchment on the base of your cloche, score it, then cover with the lid and let rise according to the times in the recipe. Bake according to the recipe.

This recipe can be baked on a baking stone or steel. After shaping, place the loaf on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet, and cover with a bowl to rise for 2-3 hours, or until it is almost double. Preheat your baking stone/steel at 475F for about 30-45 minutes before baking. When the loaf is proofed, score it and spritz it with water, then move the pan to the oven on top of the baking stone/steel. Toss a few ice cubes into the oven to create steam. Close the oven and immediately lower the temp to 425F. Bake 45 minutes.