Forty-odd year Dictatorships gone in the blink of an eye. Ordinary people protesting all over the world. A global realization that all of our fates are tied together. It seems like the proverbial sleeping giant is waking up. What must be in store for us in 2012?
The year 2011 presented its own peaks and valleys for me personally. The year started on in a valley when I unexpectedly parted ways with my demanding but well paying job. Just as suddenly the path turned upward and I found myself working on some of the most forward-thinking, fulfilling issues of my career- issues that would later arise on a national stage with the President's job proposal and Occupy Wall Street. 2011 was also the year that I rediscovered my passion for baking and found a sweet outlet for my creativity. Although I had my share of both good and bad days, the lesson that I take from 2011 is that life ultimately balances out, and it is our challenge to find a way to maintain that balance. So going into 2012, when life hands you lemons, make lemon meringue pie!
On to baking...
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| What's better on a Sunday morning than a warm bagel and a schmere? |
As the New Year approached I found myself thinking of some of the more fun New Year's celebrations I've experienced. Hands down, the best one ever was bringing in the new year with my BFF on the top of the Empire State Building, with people from around the world, watching the Times Square Ball drop from ABOVE. The night ended like almost every good night out in The City, with a trip to the Upper Westside for the Best Bagels on the Planet! What better way to honor NYE in NYC than with a fresh batch of Bagels.
Now there is an ongoing debate about Authentic NYC Bagels and why they are the best on the planet. Many people say its because of the NYC water (considered by the EPA to be the best quality in the Country), others say its the process (many bakeries use a "sponge" or "starter yeast" that can be decades old). We're not going to enter that fray. The Recipe below (courtesy of Emeril) is a quick, easy way to bake a batch of warm, fresh-from-the-oven, delicious goodness to share with your (hungover) family and friends on a cold winter morning.
Homemade Bagels
Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 1 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min
Level: Advanced Beginner
Serves: 12 bagels
Ingredients:
- 2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees F
- 2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
- 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons coarse yellow cornmeal
Optional Toppings:
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions (2 teaspoons each)
- 1/4 cup pressed garlic (1 teaspoon each)
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds (about 1/2 teaspoon each)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (about 1/2 teaspoon each)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (about 1/4 teaspoon each)
Directions:
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of the sugar in water in the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add yeast, stir and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of the flour and the salt, and mix until the mixture comes together in a sticky dough.
Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups additional flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a stiff dough, either stirring with the wooden spoon or working with your hands. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes, adding just as much flour as needed. (Dough should be heavier and stiffer than regular yeast bread dough.)
Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover with wet tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until almost doubled, about 1 hour. I find the gas oven is a perfect place, or an electric oven with the light turned on.
Remove from the bowl and punch down the dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces, about 2 to 3 ounces each, measuring about 4 inches across.
Form each piece of dough into a ball. Roll each ball into a 4 to 6-inch log. Join the ends and place fingers through the hole and roll the ends together. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Place on a lightly greased surface, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest until risen but not doubled in a draft-free spot, 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove rising Bagels first! In a large, heavy pot, bring 12 cups of water and the remaining tablespoon of sugar to a boil.
Grease a baking sheet with the remaining teaspoon of oil. Sprinkle the cornmeal, and optional toppings on dishes.
In batches, add the bagels to the water and boil, turning, for 1-2 minutes on each side. The longer you boil the rounder and smoother your bagels will be. I only boiled mine for about 30 seconds on each side, but I wished I'd done it longer.
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| Adding Sesame Seed Topping. Use untoasted seeds. |
Remove each batch from water. Dip the bagel tops in desired toppings. Flip bagels onto the dish of corn meal to coat the bottom.
Place bagels bottom up on greased baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, turn over and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes.
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| Fresh baked Bagels! Be sure to let them cool for 10-15 minutes to finish rising. |
