If you've ever pulled a pan of bagels out of the oven and they came out flat, dense, or wrinkled like a raisin, you're exactly who this one's for. This whole bake-along started because of a troubleshooting post from Leigh Skowronski. She ran into the wall a lot of us hit the first few times, and instead of quietly giving up, she asked. That question is why we're all here today. So thank you, Leigh. Here's what we're covering: - Mixing a stiff dough and why bagels aren't just round bread - Shaping so the hole doesn't close up on you - The boil, and what baking soda or malt actually does in that water - Getting that chew and shine everyone's after What to have ready: - Bread flour (high protein is your friend here) - Your starter, fed and lively, if you're going the sourdough route - A wide pot for boiling - A sheet pan and parchment - Barley malt syrup if you have it, honey works in a pinch The recipe lives in the Recipe Pantry so you can pull it up while we bake. If you're finding value in what we're building here, consider leaving us a review. It takes about 3 minutes and helps more than you know. It allows other bakers to find us and keeps us in the number one position among certified communities on Skool. Thank you. https://proveworth.com/communityprofile?slug=crust-crumb-academy Post your photos in the thread today, the ugly ones too. That's how we all learn. Perfection is not required. Progress is. ~ Henry ⭐🔥

Three of the four bagel recipes need an overnight cold retard. That means the dough gets made today, not tomorrow. If you're baking Classic New York, mix this evening, one short rise, shape, and into the fridge. Sourdough, your levain should already be going, mix this afternoon. Jalapeño-cheddar, mix by late afternoon so it's shaped and cold before bed. Montreal is the exception. Three to four hours start to finish, no retard. If tonight got away from you, that's your bagel and you can still show up tomorrow with something on the table. One thing before you go: put a thermometer in your refrigerator. I'm serious. Most home fridges run warmer than people think, and a fridge sitting at 45 instead of 38 to 40 will over-proof your bagels overnight without giving you a single clue that anything went wrong. You'll follow the recipe exactly and pull flat, wrinkled bagels out of the oven and never know why. That five degrees is the most common invisible cause of a failed bagel. While the dough rests, we built you something. Twenty-four questions, three levels, everything from what the boil actually does to why a bagel fails the poke test that your sourdough passes. Some of it you already know. Some of it you don't know you don't know yet, and it's better to find that out tonight than at seven tomorrow morning with your hands in a pot. QUIZ LINK: https://bread-quiz-master.lovable.app/quiz/bagel-week-quiz-1 Post your score. And if a question gets you, say so. That's the useful part. Henry⭐🔥

There are many ways to shape a bagel, but this is probably the most classic, most efficient, and produces the best bagel. A quick roll with the hand ensures your sourdough bagel is round with a properly sized center hole. This demonstrated by my friend Mauricio of The Perfect Loaf. https://youtu.be/ZxAV3NdW5AU?si=rLU8oECcbwgeL4L2