Ingredients
400g Shipton Mill Canadian strong white flour (112)
350g Finest Bakers White Bread Flour - No.1 (101)
350g water
yeast: 3g instant or 12g fresh
15g salt
2 egg yolks (save the white for the glaze)
90g malt syrup (or honey)
For the steaming: 2 l water and 100g malt syrup (or honey)
For the Glaze: 2 egg whites and 2 tablespoons water
Decoration: any kind of seeds
Method
Mixing
• put all ingredients into a big bowl and mix them together into a ball in the bowl
• pull the dough out onto the counter and knead it for 10 min.
• pop the dough back into the bowl, cover and allow to rest for 2 hrs
• gently pull the dough out onto an unfloured surface and shape it into a tight sausage
Shaping
• divide the dough into 12 equal portions and allow to rest for 5 mins.
• take one piece of dough and roll into a snake of about 30 cm long. Wrap the snake around your hand so that the 2 ends meet in your palm
• place your palm (with the overlapping ends of the dough in it) on the counter and roll firmly back and forth to seal the ends
• Place the formed ring (bagel) on a lightly floured surface and cover it with a dry tea towel. Repeat with all the remaining pieces of dough
• allow them to rest for 45 min
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (Gas 7)
Simmer
• bring the water and malt syrup (honey) to simmering point in a large saucepan
• press the bagels quite firmly to flatten them out to a thickness of about 1 cm and then place them into the simmering solution
• put as many as well comfortable fit into the saucepan and simmer for 30 seconds
• turn them over as you remove them from the water and place them on a prepared baking sheet (floured or baking paper)
Glaze
Lightly beat together the egg whites and water and brush it on the buns. Sprinkle with seeds on top
Cook
Pop them in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 mins.
Remove from the oven.
Cool on a wire rack.
(recipe based on Jane Mason 'the books of buns' - slightly modified)