May 26, 2009 - 7:08am
Bumpy Bagels
I have been making bagels for a while, I have noticed that the sufrace of the bagels are comming out for lack of a better term bumpy, the surface is not smooth but thay taste great no one complains, just wondering if this is from not enough surface tension (I shape them into a ball and poke thumb thru the middle) or is this from not kneading enough. or just the nature of homemade bagels, they seem to be like that before even before they are boiled. My loal bagel shop makes them from scratch but they have a smooth surface.
Share
Hi Bobku,
I cut the dough into four ounce pieces, then roll each piece into a 10-inch log with blunt ends. The "log" is then wrapped around my hand with the ends overlapping and rolled to seal the seam. This creates the needed surface tension.
The result is a smooth surface. I've tried the method you are using and prefer the results with this technique, which is from Hamelman's "Bread."
I get bumpy bagels when I overproof them. Are they bumpy just after you shape them, after proofing, or after boiling?
--Pamela
They seem to be like that almost from the start. This recipie only calls for 20 minute rest of the dough after it is kneaded then the bagels are shaped and rest another 20 minute then place in the simmering water. Everything else is fine taste, texture etc.
Did they always come out like this? I.e., since you have been using this recipe?
--Pamela
What does your recipe and method look like? Are you by any chance using the BBA bagel recipe?
I don't know why, but every time I make that one, the bagels always have that bumpy surface you're talking about, or they fail completely. I've baked the Baby Bagels recipe from the KAF website several times and they are always smooth on top and have wonderful taste and texture.
The two recipes are close (57%H and 60%H if you include the sponge in the percentages), but the methods are completely different. I find that steaming is a much better method for me, and I always get a 100% product that I can eat, instead of the unpredictable boiling. Even when I steamed the BBA bagels, I still got the bumpy top, so I'm wondering if it's just your recipe. I also prefer the poke the ball method vs the rope, only because it's easier and simpler for me, and have not had a problem with surface tension.
I did a step-by-step demo on my blog and decided to make both Pokeys and Ropeys to see what the difference was.
http://yumarama.com/blog/2009/05/bba-challenge-no-3-bagels-redux/
You can see the two kinds side-by-side about 2/3 of the way through. The Pokeys were decidedly less "smooth" surfaced, the Ropeys (my personal preference) had a smoother, tighter surface.
Otherwise, they seemed the same inside and taste/texture-wise.
You can see that the Pokeys were cooking a little more on their 'lumps', getting little brown baked spots, where the smoother Ropeys seemed to bake a little more evenly.
Once sliced and slathered in jam or cream cheese, however, it doesn't really seem to make much difference either way, both taste wonderful. I happen to like the somewhat more interesting look of the Ropey style and prefer the forming technique, it just seems more satisfying than poking.
Think you're right about the style. Who cares as long as it tastes good! Whatever is easiest to fashion sounds good to me.
--Pamela
Don't know if it's my imagination but it seems to have gotton worse . I think I might have shortened up on the time I spend kneading to dough and possibly have been shaping them a little to rushed instead of making sure the ball of dough is streched tight and smooth before poking hole. I have been making them so much I'm a little on auto pilot, next batch I'll slow down and compare results
If you're not kneading the dough enough to make it smooth and shiny, that could definitely be the problem.
--Pamela
Here's an interesting article by Peter Reinhart on bagels.
I do disagree about using bread flour in place of high-gluten flour. I've tried the bread flour and it just doesn't live up to a bagel made with high-gluten flour. I have no idea why PR thinks high-gluten flour isn't available to home bakers. It is (King Arthur's Sir Lancelot flour).
Hamelman's recipe is quite easy: high gluten flour, yeast, diastatic malt powder, salt, and water. Mix on first speed for three minutes, then on second speed for five or six more minutes, bulk ferment for an hour, then shape and refrigerate overnight. Get the oven hot and water (containing barley malt syrup) boiling the next morning, then pop in the boiling water, ice down, and bake. The bagels stay in the cooler until you're ready to give them the hot water bath.
An easy recipe to bake midweek and the results are wonderful.
Especially if it's only for a bag or two of flour. I haven't really seen much in the way of High-Gluten flour around here, including KA's Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot is $6.95 for a 3 pound bag - PLUS shipping. I can buy KA's bread flour for $3.09 for a 5 pound bag locally. The price difference per pound just doesn't make it a viable option. What is a viable option is for me to buy the KA Bread Flour and add a little vital wheat gluten to up the protein level, and I'm very curious why that option wasn't presented. It's something I've found in the bulk section of many of my local groceries.
You can't even buy 10lbs. bag of flour around here anymore, but suddenly little 2lbs. bags have started showing up. Who the heck needs 2lbs. bags? BAKE OR GO HOME, I say!
I've noticed the same thing about the growing supply of 2 pound bags. Fortunately a lot of the stuff including high-gluten flour is available in the bulk section. I never thought I would be buying bulk flour, but I find myself doing that more and more these days.
--Pamela
Gold Medal BFB: 12.2-12.7% protein
Guisto's high gluten: 13-13.5% protein
KA's Sir Lancelot: 14.2% protein.
I'm using the KA 14.2% protein flour, which is why I do taste a big difference. I just wish I could buy it in a 25# bag,
That's the same flour Guisto's describes as:
From Cooking for Engineers:
Now, that makes me wonder if the KA Sir Lancelot is treated, since it is rated as 14.2%. I'll have to ask over at KA.
The main thing I was pointing out, Lindy, is that this seems to be the flour that indicated by Allen's post. I'm not sure why he indicated the protein level is 14%. The math doesn't say that to me.
--Pamela
bobku:
This just came across my mind. Have you used H-G flour in your bagel recipe? If you have been using bread flour, try switching to H-G flour once to see if there's any difference.
Yippee