Ingredients
2 tbsp. instant yeast
8 c. bread flour
4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. barley malt syrup
3 c. lukewarm water
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. black sesame seeds (optional)
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
1 tbsp. granulated onion
1 tbsp. flaky sea salt
4 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, sliced
1 1/2 lb. smoked salmon
3 tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp. capers
Preparation
Step 1In the bowl of large stand mixer, combine all of the dough ingredients and knead on high until dough is stiff and can hold its shape, about 20 minutes.Step 2Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and set it aside to rise in a warm spot until it’s very puffy, though not necessarily doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Step 3Grease a large baking sheet and then place dough in the center. Roll and tuck it into a smooth, round ball. Grease a large piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it over dough to cover. Let rest for 30 minutes to let it puff slightly. Step 4Meanwhile, prepare the water bath. Fill a large deep roasting pan with water about halfway with water. Place over two burners and turn heat to high. Stir in malt barley syrup and bring to a gentle boil. Step 5Make everything seasoning: In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Step 6Preheat oven to 400°.
Use your fist to poke a hole in the center of the bagel, then stretch dough around slightly to make the hole larger. Step 7With two helpers, very carefully lower bagel into water. (It should float to top pretty much immediately!) Cook for about 5 minutes, using a big ladle to spoon solution over top of the bagel to help crust form.Step 8Grease baking sheet again with cooking spray, then, with the help of your two helpers, transfer bagel to greased sheet using big spatulas. Immediately sprinkle top of bagel all over with seasoning mixture. Step 9Bake until bagel is a deep golden, 25 to 30 minutes. (The internal temperature should be about 185°.) Let bagel cool for at least 30 minutes. Step 10Meanwhile, make whipped cream cheese. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together cream cheese and green onions until fluffy. Step 11Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Cut bagel in half then place on two large baking sheets. Bake until lightly toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Spread bottom half with cream cheese and top with tomatoes, onions, lox, and capers, then place remaining half on top.
Now in the past, I’ve tricked people by baking two tubes of refrigerated french bread dough in a bundt pan and covering the whole thing with everything seasoning. (See my Giant Breakfast Sandwich.) And while it was beautiful, it just didn’t taste the same. It was also big, but not massive. So this time around, I doubled a recipe for legit bagel dough and prayed for the best. Miraculously, it worked! And though it was super tricky to figure out, in the end, it wasn’t all that hard. If you want to make it for a truly grandiose brunch, just make sure you have some extra hands to help you. And a big roasting pan. Because yeah, we really did boil the doughy monstrosity. BUY NOW Extra Large Baking Sheet, $25, amazon.com
