With a history reaching back centuries, the popularity of bagels remain undiminished. Maaryasha Werdiger from Melbourne’s Zelda Bakery takes us through how to make the incredibly popular sourdough bagel.
About Maaryasha Werdiger:
If bread is about nourishing community, Maaryasha Werdiger is all about bread.
Her kosher microbakery first drew the community of Melbourne’s south-east to her flour-dusted garage, then from 2021 to Zelda, her two-day-a-week shopfront in Ripponlea.
A physiotherapist by training, the world of sourdough lured Maaryasha for its endless puzzles and opportunities for connection with the local community.
Sourdough bagels with Maaryasha Werdgier from Zelda Bakery
WHAT YOU NEED
| % | Ingredient | Quantity |
| 100 | Flour, baker’s | 2457 |
| 48 | Water | 1166 |
| 25 | Starter, liquid | 614 |
| 5 | Oil, neutral | 122 |
| 2.5 | Sugar, white | 61 |
| 2.5 | Malt (see notes below) | 61 |
| 1.8
|
Salt
|
44
|
WHAT TO DO
Refresh starter 12 hours earlier in preparation. This recipe uses a liquid starter. If you use a stiff starter, you will need to adjust the water level in the final recipe.
Mix all ingredients together in a spiral mixer on first speed until the dough comes together. Adjust water as needed to form a stiff dough. Once the flour is hydrated, mix on second speed for 5 minutes. Final dough temperature should be 26-28 °C.
Bulk for 5 hours approximately.
Divide into 135g pieces and shape into a bagel using methods shown.
Prove for 3 hours approximately.
Fill a large pot with boiling water with 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp brown sugar or honey, 1 tsp malt (optional).
Using a spider, boil the bagels for 30 seconds each side, shaking the excess water off the bagels.
If you want seeded bagels, dip the wet bagel in seeds on either the top, or both sides, and put on the peel, and load into the oven.
Bake on stone deck oven at 250C for 16 minutes or so. Vent after 8 minutes.
To be eaten same day, or toasted the next.
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