Bagels: Flat, no rise, gummy inside. Over kneading?
Edit: thanks for all the advice! I worked these half as much, and made sure to let them cool. Great, round results!!
To start, I'm using this recipe: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bagels-366757
My first try I used AP flour and honey (both in the dough and the poaching liquid). Resulted in bready bagels that didn't have any of that chew on the inside, or the outside.
Second, I switched to diastatic malt powder on the dough, and bread flour instead of AP. I also increased the cooking time to 12 minutes per rotation (because after 8 and 8 they weren't golden brown).
The second resulted in almost crispy outsides (probably a little long in the oven, and the use of a dark pan, causing this), but gummy insides, and flat bagels. There was almost no rise at all, and cutting them resulted in most of the insides ending up on the knife.
Is this a proofing issue? Are the bagels not being allowed to come up to temp long enough outside of the fridge (they are passing the float test after 60 minutes)? Am I over-working the bagels (I'm doing 3 minutes per round, with a 5 minute break in the middle, on a pro series kitchenaid stand mixer with the dough hook).
Which step results in an underbaked-tasting gummy inside? What do I need to do to get a more tender (albeit chewy) interior and a good rise?
Attaching three photos. You can see the lack of rise in two of them (flat bagels, and holes that don't seem like they closed up very much). You can also see the knife in the background, with the gummy insides all over it. Last one is the dark bottom (again, I think this is pan related).
Best Answer
It is essential to allow the bagels to cool completely before slicing. The recipe says at least 30 minutes, but my experience suggests longer might be needed: if you slice too early you'll get a gummy inside, since it's still saturated with water vapour, rather than the chewy texture you want.
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Quick Answer about "Bagels: Flat, no rise, gummy inside. Over kneading?"
It is essential to allow the bagels to cool completely before slicing. The recipe says at least 30 minutes, but my experience suggests longer might be needed: if you slice too early you'll get a gummy inside, since it's still saturated with water vapour, rather than the chewy texture you want. Thanks again Mark.Why is my flat bread gummy?
The starch to flour ratio the recipe calls for can lead to gummy results. If the recipe you are following is more than 50% starches, you are going to have a very gummy loaf of bread. Think of it this way, the total flour / starch combination in your recipe is 100%.What happens when you over knead bagel dough?
Dense and Heavy Despite getting some nice blistering, overworked doughs don't retain gas well and resist expansion, leading to a dense ring with a tight crumb.Why bagels came out flat?
Bagels tend to flatten when you remove them from the water if the dough is overproofed or you boiled them for too long.Why is my bagel so chewy?
Bagels are typically boiled for 30-60 seconds on each side. The longer the boil, the thicker and chewier crust. In the oven, the fact that the crust is already set means that the bagels don't rise nearly as much. This is partly what gives bagels their signature dense, chewy interiors.Easy New York Style Bagels | No Knead | No Stand Mixer
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Answer 2
I would suggest you knead them less if you are using a higher gluten flour.
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