Pumpernickel Bagel

Summary

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp cornmeal, for dusting
• 320g high-gluten flour (2⅔ cups)
• 106g pumpernickel flour (1 cup)
• 225g water(1 cup)
• 21g barley malt syrup, maple syrup, or honey (1 Tbsp)
• 20g unsulfured molasses or sorghum (1 Tbsp)
• 5g natural cocoa powder (1 Tbsp)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp instant yeast

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scatter the cornmeal evenly across the paper. Set aside.
2. Place the bowl of a stand mixer on a kitchen scale and tare the weight to zero. Measure in the high-gluten and pumpernickel flours, water, barley malt syrup, molasses, cocoa powder, salt, and yeast. Place the bowl back on the mixer and fit it with the dough hook. On low speed, mix the ingredients together until there are no dry patches of flour showing.
3. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium. Mix until the sides of the bowl are nearly clean, 2 to 3 minutes. The dough may seem dry. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate evenly.
4. Uncover the bowl, turn the mixer speed back to medium, and let it run for 7 full minutes, until the dough is smooth and satiny and the sides of the bowl are clean. Watch the mixer at all times, as it might hop across the counter; the dough will be stiff and strong.
5. Scrape the dough onto a clean, unfloured work surface and give it five or six kneads. Divide the dough into six equal pieces, each weighing 115 g. Shape the bagels and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours and no more than 14 hours.
6. When ready to boil and bake, remove the bagels from the refrigerator and uncover, allowing them to come to room temperature while the oven heats and the water boils. Place a pizza stone, Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet on the oven’s center rack and set the oven to its highest temperature, 500°F in most home appliances. Heat the oven for at least 30 minutes.
7. In the meantime, fill a 5 quart or larger pot with water and bring it to a hard boil. Place a 9 by 13 in piece of parchment on a pizza peel, large cutting board, or an inverted baking sheet. (You need to be able to easily slide the bagel-laden parchment paper from this surface into the oven.)
8. The bagels should be slightly puffed from their overnight rise. Gently lift one at a time, brushing away any excess cornmeal, and drop it into the boiling water. Repeat with another one or two bagels only if they fit in the pot without crowding. Using a slotted spoon or spider, flip the bagels over and over in the water until very slightly puffed and shiny, about 60 seconds and no more than 90 seconds. Small blisters may appear on the surface.
9. Remove the bagels one by one and place cornmeal-side down on the parchment paper on the pizza peel. Sprinkle with any desired toppings while the bagels are still damp. Repeat with the remaining bagels; six bagels will fit snugly on the parchment paper without touching.
10. Lower the oven heat to 475°F. Slide the parchment paper with bagels directly onto the hot surface in the oven and bake until deep brown and shiny, 12 minutes. To remove the bagels from the oven, slide the parchment paper right onto the peel. Transfer on their paper to a wire rack to cool.