So then, how did I do?

Well if you scroll down and compare these shots to the ones in the post Intro to the Cement Doughnut you’ll see that I didn’t do half bad. True, where the crust is concerned, I don’t have the nice smooth skin and near perfect ring-shape of the Manhattan original, but I do have deeper caramelization and a much crunchier texture, which is good. Concerning the crumb…

…it’s almost exactly the same, save for the fact that my crumb is a little darker on the inside. That’s due to the addition of malt syrup, which I think gives my bagels a rustic-feeling crumb that’s a good match for the crust. But holes-wise, I did pretty well. Personally I’d like an even tighter crumb, maybe next time I’ll cut my rising times and/or de-gas the dough a little more, to try to create that serious, old-world chew.