Pumpernickel Bagels

Whenever I eat pumpernickel bagels I feel like I'm in a Woody Allen movie.



Pumpernickel Bagels
a hybrid of this and this
Makes 8

For the Bagels:
1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup wholemeal flour
14g (2 sachets) dry active yeast
1 cup rye flour
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup unsweetened coca powder
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups "00" flour

For the Topping:
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
1 egg white lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

For the water bath:
4 litres water
2 tablespoons malt extract

Put the lukewarm water, wholemeal flour and yeast into a bowl and mix with a fork to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. It should become frothy and bubbly.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the rye flour, molasses, coca powder, sunflower oil, coffee granules, caraway seeds and salt. Add the yeast mixture and the "00" flour. Mix on low for 8 minutes. transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot to let the dough rise for an hour.

Divide the dough into 8 even portions. Roll the portions into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 230C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside.

Boil the water in a large, wide pan. Add the malt extract and stir to dissolve. Turn the water down to a low boil (you don't want it boiling madly).

Poke a hole into the centre of the bagels with your finger then stretch the dough out until the center hole measures about 4 - 5cms in diameter. Drop the bagels into the boiling water. Do this in batches, depending on the width of your pan. Boil the bagels for 2 minutes on each side, then remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place them back on the baking paper lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the bagels with the egg white and water mixture and sprinkle generously with the topping. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven, until baked through.