Honey-baked bagels
6 servings
300 minutes
In Dahl's dictionary, a bublik is defined as a "large ring-shaped loaf" (exactly like that - in the masculine gender). It is believed that bubliks originated in Little Russia, but already in the 19th century they became a completely common thing at Moscow tea parties. The difference between a bublik and a baranka is not only in size, but also in the soft dough, and also in the fact that before baking, the bagels were baptized with boiling water.
1
Prepare the leaven. Separate 4 grams of yeast and dissolve it in 130 ml of warm water. Add 80 grams of flour and mix. Cover the bowl with the leaven with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 2-3 hours.
- Dry yeast: 6 g
- Water: 190 ml
- Wheat flour: 430 g
2
When the dough rises, transfer it to a mixing bowl with a hook attachment. Sift in 350 grams of flour, add another 2 grams of yeast, 50 grams of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pour in 60 ml of water. Start kneading the dough.
- Wheat flour: 430 g
- Dry yeast: 6 g
- Sugar: 50 g
- Salt: 6 g
- Water: 190 ml
3
When all the flour becomes moist, start mixing in the butter in small pieces. After 6-8 minutes, when all the butter is incorporated, it should result in a smooth, very dense, and stretchy dough.
- Butter: 35 g
4
Divide the dough into six parts and roll them into tight balls. Place the balls on a board, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest and rise for 20 minutes.
5
Then make a hole in the center of each ball with your finger and stretch it a little. Cover the preparations with film again and leave for another 5-10 minutes.
6
Then carefully stretch the holes in the balls to shape them into bagels. Place the bagels on a parchment-lined surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1.5–2 hours. Do not let them rise longer, or the texture of the baked goods will be compromised.
7
At the end of the proofing, preheat the oven to 240 degrees and bring water to a boil in a large wide pot. Stir honey into the water and reduce the heat to minimum. Place a rack nearby for transferring the bagels and prepare a slotted spoon.
- Honey: 1 tablespoon
8
Stretch each bagel slightly and adjust its shape by hand, then drop it into boiling water. Let it boil for 5 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a rack. Sprinkle the bagels with poppy seeds. Transfer the bagels topping side up to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Each bagel should turn golden but not burn.
- Poppy seeds: 3 tablespoons
