2hr QUICKER BAGELS (Turkish Gerek/Simit) From: Caroline’s Easy Baking Lessons

Following on with the new mixing technique for making yeast dough, (that I got from 'EASY CULINARY SCIENCE - For Better Cooking', by Jessica Gavin, Italian Breadsticks), I have been altering several of my own recipes, that take a long time to make, in the hope of reducing the time to make them. I was very successful with SOFT HOT DOG ROLLS, 90 MINUTE BURGER BUNS, POGACA(CHEESE STUFFED ROLLS), 2hr WHOLEWHEAT PIZZA & just recently QUICKER WHOLEWHEAT SANDWICH LOAF. So I was quite sure I would be able to make my gevrek/Simit (Turkish bread rolls like bagels) in a quicker time. These bread rings usually take 4hrs to made and get out of the oven. With the other recipes above, I used the same base recipe, however my gevrek/bagels had slightly different ingredients and proportions, so I adjusted them accordingly and I am glad to say they turned out well and with the same taste and structure. Not only was I able to make them in 2hrs, but they actually turned out bigger than normal, but in a good way. It just goes to show that you don't need to have 1.5 hrs of rising time

to get a good bake with a great rise. So how does the quicker recipe differ? Well instead of just mixing up the ingredients (in say a few minutes), kneading, leaving to rise for 1 - 1.5hrs, forming and leaving to rise another 30-40 minutes before baking, your initial mixing technique is different. You take maybe 20 minutes on that part and heat the water and oil a little and add egg whites. There is only 30-40 minutes rising time, yet these beauties still puff up and bake even better in less time. It really is quite remarkable. it's as if, the yeast and gluten in the flour has been sparked into action by the initial mixing process and extra sugar, as well as the perfect combination of extra ingredients (oil and egg whites) enriching the dough.

These bagels are also not boiled before baking, and are dipped in a pomegranate molasses syrup mixture. It is available in foreign food stores and in in some supermarkets in the foreign food section. The Turkish name is Uzum pekmezi. However, if you find grape molasses, that will work too. You can make with any choice of your favourite seeds or leave plain. But be sure to brush in egg wash so they do not dry up or burn ( see instructions for when to do so). Anyway, let's get onto the recipe.

INGREDIENTS **See under the ingredients list, there are 3 batches of flour [f1], [F2] & [F3]. Please separate them like this (first one can be in the stand mixing bowl), and add as instructed. Recipe is for 12, but I have also listed for 6 at the very bottom of the recipe.

To make 12: 283g Plain or Bread Flour [F1] (2 1/4 c All purpose) 142g Plain or Bread Flour [F2] (1 c + 1 tbsp All purpose) 213-283g Plain or Bread Flour [F3] (1 1/3c - 2 1/4 c All purpose) 415ml Water (14 fl oz, 1 3/4 cup) 4 tsp Olive Oil (or EVOO) 2 Egg whites (medium - large eggs) 2 1/2 tsp Salt 16g Instant yeast (5 tsp) 2 tbsp Sugar 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder (optional) For the Coating: 240ml Warm water ( 1 c) 2 tbsp Uzum pekmezi* (grape molasses) ½ tsp Salt 100g+ Sesame seeds, curek otu (Turkish nigella seeds) or even poppy seeds (optional) *pomegranate molasses or any other type of molasses will do ** Egg yolk & 1 tbsp milk for egg washing plain rolls

EQUIPMENT Scales or measuring cups Stand mixer & dough hook Measuring Spoons Large mixing bowl for proofing Spray or Bottled Oil Cling Film (Plastic Wrap) Baking Tray(s) Baking Paper Deep bowls wide enough for bagel: 1 for pekmez, 1 for each seed(s) Medium sized sieve or wide slotted spoon/spatula Small bowl with egg (optional) Pastry brush (optional) Timer or Phone Timer Cooling Rack

OVEN: 220c/200c Fan Oven/425f/Gas Mark 7

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix [F1] flour, with the salt in a stand mixer & mix well. Then add in the sugar & yeast & mix through. Never let yeast come into direct contact with the salt as it kills the rising power of the yeast.

Photo 1 2.Place the water and oil in a microwavable bowl or jug and heat for approximately 60-90 seconds or until it reaches 120-130f (49-54c). This is about 'warm' and just above tepid. Never use very hot or boiling liquid when using yeast, as this again kills the yeast. 3.Add the warm oily water & the egg white to the prepared dry mixture [F1] & with the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes with a timer. (See Photo 1 for how it will look).

Photo 2 - Mixture after adding in [F2] 4. Now add in [F2] flour (the smaller bowl) and beat on medium speed again for 2 minutes. Then leave for the flour to absorb the liquid for 2 minutes.See Photo 2, as it starts to thicken.

Photo 3 - How the dough should look [F3] 5. Now gradually stir in the [F3] bowl of flour, until you get a dough that is no longer sticky. So start off with half & gradually add in more till just to the point where it is no longer sticky. Mix all the time after adding drops of flour to see how the texture is before adding in more flour. Do not let it get too dry, as adding too much flour can lead to a very dense compact bake. (I need about 283g or 2 1/4 c amount usually, depending on the size of the egg whites used in the dough and how much liquid the flour absorbed). See Photo 3 for how it should

look. It will be very stretchy and sticking to the mixer hook when trying to get it out.

Photo 4 - during (L) & after kneading (R). 6. Now knead on medium speed with the dough hookfor 5 minutes. ( If you want to do this by hand, it will take a good 12 minutes, on a lightly floured work surface.) Lift out the dough (using lightly oiled hands & a scraper if sticking, see Photo 4, left pic) and turn the dough over and proceed to knead by machine for a further 5 minutes. See Photo 4 (right pic) for how the dough texture should look - much more soft than before but can be a little in rough in some areas. It will also have a lot of

stretch to it, that you will see when pulling up the kneading hook. 7. Leave the dough in the bowl with a tea-towel on top and leave somewhere warm and draft free for 10 minutes. 8. Meanwhile prepare for the next stage. You will need a pastry board or large area of worktop, floured and also 2 large baking trays prepared with baking/parchment paper on them. Have some more flour handy too in case you need more and a large knife to cut the dough.

Photo 5 - Preparing for dipping the bagels 9. Prepare the coating by mixing the warm water and salt with the molasses in a wide and deep enough bowl that you can dip the bagel in (they will be about 10cm /4inches wide, so a bowl wider than this is best, but not too big). Also have a bowl the same kind of size ready for your choice of seeds that you will dip the bagel in. I use a medium sized sieve when doing the dipping in the molasses and find it very handy. See Photo 5 above.

10. Once the 10 minutes is up, scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto your area prepared with flour. (It will have risen a little and be very soft and smooth).

Photo 6 - dividing the dough into 12 balls Add a little flour to your hands and pat the dough so it's no longer sticky and shape into a log or rectangle so you can evenly cut into 12 pieces. (Cut in half, half again and then into 3. Repeat until you have 12 pieces). See Photo 6. 11. Give the piece of dough a knead by squishing and pulling the ends under itself and form into a ball. repeat for all other 11 and place a bit away from you so you can work.

Photo 7 - Rolling out dough to 28cm/11in) 12. Take one piece of the dough and roll into a long sausage shape. I find it quicker to squeeze into this shape, and do a squeezing an pulling motion at both ends. (Imagine you were trying to move elastic along through a hem with a safety pin attached). You want to get it to about 28cm (11 inches) long. (See Photo 7). When I am near that point, I roll it on the pastry board with two hands, letting the pressure expand it. But do what ever way works for you best. I used to hold

upright and rolls between my hands. But my hands would get sore. 13. Once the correct length, taper the ends a little. Form into a circle and join the ends. I do this by bringing the two ends together (one in front of the other - see Photo 8, middle pic) and squeeze till they are together and a bigger height than the rest of the roll. Then fold this over and roll gently at the join to make rounded. See photo 8, right pic.

Photo 8 - Forming the bagel (L), squeezing together (M) & rolling to round the dough (R)

Photo 9 -Bagels ready for dipping & coating 14. Lift gently and place onto the prepared baking tray and stretch out the middle a bit more. repeat with the other 11 pieces of dough. See Photo 9. 15. Clear some space and lay the bowls out in the order you will use them : pekmez liquid, seeds then baking tray. I used a smaller/medium sieve for this bit as it was the perfect size to hold the gevrek/bagel and dip in the bowl too. See Photo 10 below.

Photo 10 - dipping the bagel in molasses. 10.Carefully place one bagel in the sieve and then submerge in the pekmez liquid for 5 seconds. Lift and shake over the bowl. Gently turn the bagel out onto your hand and then slide back into the sieve. Submerge again to coat this side. Lift and shake off excess. See Photo 10.

11.Turn the bagel/gevrek out into the next seed bowl and give a little twist. Turn over gently and coat the other side. See photo 11 below. Give a gently shake and lay on the baking tray. Give the gevrek a little stretch outwards with your two hands and make the inner hole a bit bigger, (during the 2nd proofing, this will close up a bit).

Photo 11 - the process to coat the bagels in sesame seeds 12. Repeat for all gevrek/bagels unless you want plain ones. Leave to prove in a warm/draft free place for about 30- 40 mins, until they have swollen up a little. See photo 12 below for a before and after 2nd proving.

13.Heat the oven to 220c/200c fan oven/425f/Gas Mark 7, before the rising time is up.

Photo 12 - Before leaving to rise 30 mins (L) and after rising (R). Note the swelling up. 14. If you wanted plain gevrek/bagels with no seeds, mix up one egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk. You will brush some of this on during baking. Don't apply before baking as it will deflate the risen bagels. Best to wait until it's cooked a little.

Photo 13 - 3 types of baked quicker bagels . 15.Bake for about 12 mins until browning and then turn over and bake the underside for a further 2 -3 mins. (I bake for 4mins, turn the trays around, bake 4 mins, (apply egg wash to plain bagels at this point). Rotate the trays between the shelves and bake 4 more mins. (apply more egg wash if needed). Then I bake the underside for 2 mins. ) See Photo 13. Leave to cool on a baking rack. Eat warm or at room temperature.

My 2hr quicker bagels filled with tuna mayo sweetcorn & cheese These will keep for a few days in an airtight bag or container. You can freeze for another day. Just defrost and warm up until hot @ 190/170c fan/375f/Gas Mark 5.

To Make 6 Bagels/Gevrek: 141g Flour, (1 + 1/8 cup) [F1] 71g Flour, (1/2 cup) [F2] 106-141 g Flour (heaped 3/4c - 1 1/8c) [F3] 208ml Water (7 fl oz) 2 tsp Olive Oil (or EVOO) 1 Egg white (medium - large egg) 1 1/4 tsp Salt 8g Instant yeast (2 1/2 tsp) 3tsp + heaped 1/4 tsp Sugar 3/4 tsp Onion Powder (optional) For the Coating: 120ml Warm water ( 1/2 c) 1 tbsp Uzum pekmezi* (grape molasses) 1/4 tsp Salt 75g+ Sesame seeds, curek otu (Turkish nigella seeds) or even poppy seeds (optional) *pomegranate molasses or any other type of molasses will do ** Egg yolk & 1 tbsp milk for egg washing plain rolls HAPPY BAKING