Bagel Monday Formula

Start your week right with Bagel Monday. Every Sunday afternoon or night, I prep bagels, and then bake them first thing Monday morning. I encourage others to do the same. It is a nice routine to have each week, and it is a good break from my normal bread making.

This last Bagel Monday I made 80 bagels using the following formula:

450g 17hr 2:4:5 Blarf
4969g Giusto’s Organic Ultimate Performer (hi gluten flour)
2882g water
99g salt
50g diastatic malt powder

I was attempting to have 58% hydration, 2% salt, and 1% malt, but I realize now that I forgot to subtract the water and flour weight from Blarf, meaning I had 60.5% hydration. My last attempt at bagels had been 55% hydration, and the dough was difficult to work with, so I decided to up the hydration. All day today I had been a bit confused by why 58% felt so sticky, but it now makes sense (I wasn’t actually feeling 58%).

The stickiness caused poor shaping, and also let the bagels proof more than they should have; they were not as dense and chewy as they should have been. Next week I will go back down to 55% hydration and see if I can work the dough better. I now understand why bagels are supposed to have such a low hydration.

Please let me know if you would like free bagels next Monday, or would like to make some of your own. The Sour Flour Hotline is open for help.