December 9, 2013 - 4:21pm
how to keep seeds on bagels
I have a problem with all the seeds coming off of bagel when I put it in a bag - not when it goes straight from the cooling rack to the bread board. I have read on the site about keeping seeds on bread. The difference is that you can't put the seeds on before proofing for a bagel. What do people do? Thanks. -Varda
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Varda,
I've never made bagels, but the secret to getting seeds to stay on the surface of bread: spritz it with water and sprinkle the seeds on.
I don't remember the process exactly, do you boil the bagels and then immediately bake? If so, then just sprinkle the seeds on after removing from the water bath.
Same problem, wish I had a solution. I have perfected my plain, NY style water bagels, at least to my taste. but seeds are a problem. A sprinkling of Asiago cheese is even worse, I comes of in the eating all in one piece. I read that if you coat the bagels in a light spray of oil it helps, but I'm not willing to do that.
I wonder (heresy) how Einstein's does it??
I find that industrial bagels have a sort of funny taste, which I've never been able to identify. Maybe it's the glue they use to stick on the seeds ;)
What you are saying is what I do. That, or put a wetted towel on a plate, press the boiled bagel top into it, then into a dish of seeds. Looks great. The bagel goes into a bag with seeds, comes out without. I find these techniques work for bread just fine, because you do it before the proof but not for bagels because it comes after. Thanks. -Varda
that i make a deep bowl of seeds and moosh, a great baking term, the still damp and sticky bagels from the water boil. they seem to puff back up and blister if you aren't demented with the mooshing like Lucy gets if not watched carefully. Bagel seed fall off all over the place anyway. If Idon't find them all over the counter every morning, I worry the girls are starving.
IF you figure out ho to keep seeds on bagels.... then you will be the next billionaire and all of us will know you and hit you up for something we would rather have than seeds on bagels :-)
Yes, for the ones I put on my bread board seeds everywhere but still enough on the bagel. For the ones that go in bags - NO SEEDS LEFT. Maybe the answer is not to put it in a bag. But really, Brueggers Bagels (local chain?) makes plenty of seeded bagels, and they also put the bagels in bags. What gives?
Somewhere on this site a bakery professional suggested making a "slurry" of toppings. I have used that suggestion and now I always make a small slush of a bit of oil and water plus (reconstituted) dehydrated onions, poppy seeds, fresh garlic, etc. Briefly dipping the boiled bagel upside down in the slurry before baking has worked very well for me. Sometimes I sprinkle a bit of Kosher salt after dipping and before baking.
Can you taste it? This looks promising. I'm just worried about the taste. Thanks. -Varda
When I worked at a bagel shop in ny we set up our wet boards heavily seeded them. Then boil bagels pull and put right on boards. Line em up and heavily seed on top then in ovdeff just gotta seed right out the hot bath. Plus heavy seeds allows for some to fall off and still have your flavors. Some suggest cooling boiled bagel but I thiyou you want the hot sticky starch to snag the seeds.
ive also done this at home without the boards on sheet pans. I seed the sheet pan and dump hot bagels on it. Works a charm
josh
This sounds great. I'm going to try it. Thanks so much. -Varda
tonight's episode of Bizarre Foods America. It was set in New York and Andrew Zimmern visited Davidovich bagels, and that is exactly the process that they showed.
Nice to have the confirmation. Thanks for posting. -Varda
I have had the same problem. To over come this I just make a lite egg wash, brush it on the boiled bagels, and the seeds and bake.
Dwayne
I always worry about introducing new elements for taste and texture. But perhaps it is not such a big deal. Thanks. -Varda
then you're a wizard. I use the seeds on a plate technique right after the bagels get out of their hot tub. It works for poppy seeds, but sesame seeds have too much of the wanderlust. Maybe the slurry would settle them down.
if Josh's method works. I usually put seeds on after I've boiled all the bagels while they are still wet and pretty hot. Have never tried immediately out of the bath. I'm making some sesame bagels tomorrow. We shall see if I get the wizard seal or not.
put the seeds on the bagel boards and lay the fresh-out-of-the-bath bagels right on the seeds. I don't know that there is a way to keep all the seeds from falling off, but this method keeps most of the seeds on the bagels, where they belong.
cheers,
gary
I did the dunk in seeds straight from the water. Worked much better.
When I looked in the freezer I found this forgotten bagel, that I had made by pressing it just after boiling onto a plate of sesame seeds. I guess sesame seeds aren't so hard after all.