Bagels

Although Whitford knows it isn’t traditional, she enjoys her bagels for egg sandwiches or toasted dark with a schmear of cream cheese.

Bagels

Yields: 8 to 10

• 1 cup whole or 2% milk
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ¼ oz active dry yeast
• 1 extra-large egg, separated
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3½ cups bread flour
• unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tsp cold water
• bagel toppings such as kosher salt, sesame or poppy seeds, pepitas, rolled oats or grated Asiago cheese (optional)

In small saucepan, heat milk to boiling; remove saucepan from heat. Add butter and sugar; stir until butter melts. Transfer milk mixture to mixing bowl for heavy-duty mixer; cool until 90 to 100°F. 

With whisk, stir yeast into milk mixture; let stand about 10 minutes or until a frothy sponge forms.

Add egg white and salt to milk mixture. Attach dough hook attachment to mixer and secure bowl. With mixer on low speed, gradually add bread flour and beat just until a smooth, soft dough forms.

Increase speed to medium. Knead dough until smooth and no longer sticky. Form dough into a ball. Place dough in large bowl sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover dough with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and leave in a warm place (about 75°F) about 1 hour to rise and nearly double in size. 

Lightly dust work surface with all-purpose flour. Divide dough into 8 to 10 pieces, each about the size of a small lemon; shape each piece into 4-inch rounds. Place finger into center of each round of dough until it reaches the work surface; move and twirl finger in a circle to widen the hole until it is about one-third the width of the bagel's diameter. 

Transfer bagel rounds to cookie sheets; cover with damp cloth. Let stand about 10 minutes to puff slightly.  Meanwhile, fill 4- to 6-quart saucepot of water halfway; heat to boiling. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Carefully place each bagel round, 1 at a time, into boiling water; boil about 30 seconds or until it puffs. With spider-style skimmer strainer or slotted spoon, flip dough and boil 30 seconds longer. Overboiling will make the bagel break up, lose its shape, and it may split or crack during baking. With strainer, remove each bagel from water, allowing excess water to drip into saucepot; transfer to greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining bagel rounds.

In cup, with fork, mix egg yolk and water until well mixed. Brush egg mixture on top of bagels. If using, sprinkle top of bagels with desired toppings. Bake about 20 minutes or until bagels are brown with a crisp top. Transfer bagels to wire cooling rack to cool slightly to serve warm, or cool completely to enjoy later.