Bagel Bombs

There is nothing in the Midwest comparable to a New York bagel. If you disagree with me, I will argue until my throat is so sore I can no longer speak. And even then I will continue to hassle you with annoying texts. Just accept it. I have no idea what the magic ingredient is to making bagels so good. I've tried, and while they're tasty, they still don't have that...je ne sais quoi (also, I have updated my bagel recipe since that blog post, and prefer to use this one now).

So maybe I don't have the magic New York bagel touch, but I can do my best with what I've got. Right? Right. So once again I turn to my beloved Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. I may have a level 2 girl crush on Christina Tosi. If you don't understand that reference...that's perfectly fine, haha.

Do bagel bombs count as bagels? I like to think so, yes. Comprised of a very versatile "mother dough" that is stuffed with a scallion and bacon cream cheese filling and topped with everything bagel mix. Sounds downright delightful to me. But on the off chance any of you dear readers from the New York area are making a random stop in Wisconsin in the near future, please bring me a bagel. I will love you forever. 

Oh hey there, Instagram. It's been a while. 

Bagel Bombs
from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook

Components:

• Mother Dough (Recipe Below)
• Bacon, Scallion Cream Cheese Plugs (Recipe Below)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp water
• 1 recipe Everything Bagel Mix (Recipe Below)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat.
2. On a smooth, dry, lightly floured surface punch down the mother dough. Portion the dough into 8 equal sized pieces.
3. Taking 1 portion of dough at a time, carefully stretch it to about 3 inches wide. Place one of the prepared cream cheese plugs in the middle of the dough, then fold the dough back up to surround the cream cheese completely. Roll the dough between your hands to try and smooth out the crevices. You want it to look like a dinner roll. Place the finished ball on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese.
4. In a small bowl whisk together the egg and water. Brush generously over each one of the bagel bombs.
5. Generously and evenly over the 8 bagel bombs, sprinkle the everything mix until it covers every inch but the bottoms.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 -30 minutes. They will brown up and eventually expel the cream cheese goo. Don’t worry when this happens – just shove the cream cheese back inside it’s respective bomb.
7. They are best eaten immediately (slightly cooled as to not burn your tongue). If you do have some left over, wrap them individually in plastic and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Mother Dough

Makes enough for the bagel bomb recipes. It is half of the original recipe.

Ingredients:

• 275 g (1 3/4 cups) bread flour
• 6 g (1/2 tbsp) salt
• 1/2 tsp or 1/4 packet active dry yeast
• Slightly above room temperature water – 2/3 to 3/4 cup
• Oil

Directions:

1.  In the bowl of your stand mixer using the dough hook, stir together the flour, salt, yeast and 2/3 cup water until it is “a shaggy mass.”
2. Attach the bowl and hook to your mixer and set to the lowest speed for 3 minutes.
3. After the 3 minutes the dough should be smoother and 1 larger mass of dough. Continue kneading on the lowest speed for 4 minutes. After the 4 minutes it should bounce back when poked.
4. Brush a bowl with a bit of oil, the dump the dough into it and turn it over in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and store in warm, draft free place for at least 45 minutes. The dough should double in size. 
5. Once it has doubled it is now ready to use. If you don’t want to use it that day, cover it very well in a container double it’s size and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to use it bring it back to room temp on the counter for 30 minutes.

Bacon, Scallion Cream Cheese Plugs

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 oz bacon – 4 or 5 slices
• 1 – 8 oz block cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon until dark and crunchy. You definitely want it crunchy for this so be a little patient! Reserve the bacon and bacon grease separately. 
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer using the beater attachment, mix the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Mix in the cooled, reserved bacon fat until homogenous. Scrape down the bowl.
3. Add the scallions, crumbled bacon, sugar and salt. Mix on medium speed for 1 or 2 minutes, or until fully incorporated.
4. Scoop the mixture onto a lined cookie sheet. You want 8 equal sized lumps. Freeze until rock hard, 1 – 3 hours.
5. Once frozen solid they are ready to use.

Everything Bagel Mix Ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp dried onion
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Mix everything together in a bowl and use when needed.
2. Store in a covered container for up to 6 months.