Montreal Bagels: Field Notes and Grant Application for a Deliciously Dairy Free Brunch
Do these really need any further introduction?
Without a "schmear" of cream cheese or butter, most bagels are naturally dairy free.
My clinical impression is that Montreal style bagels are infinitely superior. They're seeded, chewier, and slightly sweet. Are they statistically significantly superior to other styles of bagels? Probably. Consider this my grant application for "seed" money to test this out.
Aim 1. Assess the superiority of Montreal style bagels in comparison to other bagel styles.
Hypothesis 1. Montreal style bagels will be superior to a representative sample of bagels of other styles in validated measures of taste, texture, quality, and nostalgia.
Methodology: These make a fun weekend morning project. Making homemade bagels might be easier than you think! And if you can't be in Montreal, these might be the next best thing. Try baking them yourself, or come over to my place and demand them sometime. Or of course, if you find yourself in Montreal, feel free to get some from the pros. All in the name of science.
I received the recipe for these bagels from a baking class as part of my sister's bachelorette. Unfortunately, that means that this recipe is proprietary and I cannot share it. I can, however, direct you to the incredible @thebreadclass (Instagram) and http://www.facebook.com/thebreadclass/ for inspiration or to take the class.
Field Notes:
1. This recipe did not have a long proofing time, but does demand quite a bit of hand kneading. Though it's more tiring than letting my Kitchen Aid do the work, I always find it amazing to experience the dough changing texture. The dough has a unique ingredient- diastatic malt powder- that helps with the bagel texture.
