[euge]

I've found myself eating a lot of bagels. The dense but soft store-bought kind.

Wanted to do a NY-style bagel. I got a crispy chewy exterior and a light interior. Pretty damn good. Instead of malt syrup I used Dark Candi syrup in the mix. None for the boiling water. And I did a 24 hour ferment.


The schmeeer:

[Hokerer]

At one time, I took requests and someone asked for pumpernickel.  Until I made those pumpernickel bagels, I never knew the recipe included potatoes.

[punatic]

Did you put lye in the boil?

[bo]

Those bagels look good. I've made them a couple of times. Kind of a PITA, but well worth it in the end.

[bluesman]

They look great euge.  What's the bread texture like?  I like a toasted everything bagel with Lox and cream cheese...mmm 

[euge]

Did you put lye in the boil?

Isn't that pretzels?

[euge]

They look great euge.  What's the bread texture like?  I like a toasted everything bagel with Lox and cream cheese...mmm 

Those bagels look good. I've made them a couple of times. Kind of a PITA, but well worth it in the end.

Well worth the effort! I'm going to have to work out a weekly schedule for these things... Too bad I don't have any smoked salmon around. The crumb is light, bubbly and cohesive. Nothing crumbly about these bagels. The exterior is shiny, crisp and chewy. Made them with about 90% bread flour 10% AP. Next time all AP to see how that turns out.

Nice to have the KA to do the kneading.

[denny]

It's pretty common to boil bagels in lye water.  When I've made them before I've boiled them in water that's had potatoes boiled in it.

[bo]

Try buying lye these days. I ended up using baking soda.

[tygo]

Try buying lye these days. I ended up using baking soda.

I saw a tip in Cooks Illustrated a few months back to bake the baking soda to convert it from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate which is a stronger base.  Not as strong as lye but a good substitute according to the article.  Haven't tried it yet myself.

[bo]

Try buying lye these days. I ended up using baking soda.

I saw a tip in Cooks Illustrated a few months back to bake the baking soda to convert it from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate which is a stronger base.  Not as strong as lye but a good substitute according to the article.  Haven't tried it yet myself.

Interesting: Can you provide some specifics as to time, temp and quantity in the water.


I once thought about trying to make my own lye with my stove ashes. I talked myself out of that adventure.

[euge]

Try buying lye these days. I ended up using baking soda.

I saw a tip in Cooks Illustrated a few months back to bake the baking soda to convert it from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate which is a stronger base.  Not as strong as lye but a good substitute according to the article.  Haven't tried it yet myself.

That Chris Kimball! He's so clever...

What does the alkaline solution do that a sugar solution won't? I used softened water to poach my bagels.

[punatic]

I know you have lye on hand euge.  A little dab'l do ya.  NY - Joisey style bagel-making.

[bo]

Try buying lye these days. I ended up using baking soda.

I saw a tip in Cooks Illustrated a few months back to bake the baking soda to convert it from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate which is a stronger base.  Not as strong as lye but a good substitute according to the article.  Haven't tried it yet myself.

That Chris Kimball! He's so clever...

What does the alkaline solution do that a sugar solution won't? I used softened water to poach my bagels.

The lye hydrolizes the proteins in the flour and allows the outside to brown well.


I read that it can be found at Lowes under the name Crystal Drain Opener, but I need to check that out to be sure. This is info from The Fresh Loaf, an extremely good website for baking. When I looked several years ago for a drain opener that contained lye, I came up with nothing at several different supermarkets.

[phillamb168]

I would be very, very, very careful about putting drain cleaner (even if it says it's 100% lye) in anything touching food.