Delicious homemade Bagels made with yeast and goes well with cream cheese of your choice, Excellent breakfast.
I love bagels, and my first encounter with bagels happened in Starbucks many years ago. I also love the Starbucks cold coffee, but not the hot one, for me it is too dark. To drink it I need lots of sweeteners. However love to enjoy their breakfast treats.
You trust me Bagels are best when toasted and applied with a heavy dose of cream cheese. Yes flavored cream cheese is merrier. I wanted to make bagels at home for long time.
But when my trusted King Arthur flour site called for high gluten flour like Sir Lancelot flour, I got skeptical, as I know it will be waste. I am not going to make too many bagels at home, so buying a 5 pound bag is not a good idea.
But when I saw this recipe in Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day book, I thought I should give it try. When I checked my pantry I have everything mentioned in recipe is in hand. So decide to give it as this month “Baking Partner’s challenge”.
This could help everybody learn how to make bagels at home. Even though it is two day process, I liked it as the end product is delicious, and you can get the taste of bagels you enjoy in the stores.
History of bagels
Most food historians have come to the conclusion that the bagel is of Jewish origin, probably from Poland, sometime in the 17th century. However there is no exact information is available. This crusty ring shape bread with name bagel–the word means “bracelet” in German was the everyday bread of the Jews in Eastern Europe, and has become the most famous Jewish food in America and becomes American breakfast bread.
Nowadays you find bagels with all kind of topping with seeds, onion garlic, you name it. There is sweeter version of bagels with cinnamon sugar as well as raisins in them. The original version of bagels are made with plain water by throwing the risen dough into boiling water for few seconds then drained and cooled and baked until they become golden in color.
It is really delicious when you eat fresh bagels; they are chewy in side and crisp outside. If not consumed immediately, there are certain storing techniques that can help to keep the bagel moist and fresh. First, cool bagels in a paper bag, then wrap the paper bag in a plastic bag (attempting to rid the bags of as much air as possible without squishing the bagels), then freeze for up to six months. When you want to eat them, you need to cut open the bagels and then toast and enjoy with your favorite cream cheese bread.
These are step by step picture to make delicious homemade bagels.
Here come the best homemade bagels you can make it in comfort your kitchen. Please make stop at other Baking Partner’s blog too see their version of this delicious treat.
Bagels
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 tablespoon 0.75 oz / 21 g barley malt syrup/ honey/ or rice syrup, or 1 teaspoon (0.25 oz / 7 g) diastatic malt powder
- 1 teaspoon 0.11 oz / 3 g instant yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons 0.37 oz / 10.5 g salt, or 2 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons 9 oz / 255 g lukewarm water (about 95°F or 35°C)
- 3 ½ cups 16 oz / 454 g unbleached bread flour
Poaching liquid
- 2 to 3 quarts 64 to 96 oz / 181 to 272 g water
- 1 ½ tablespoons 1 oz / 28.5 g barley malt syrup or honey (optional)
- 1 tablespoon 0.5 oz / 14 g baking soda
- 1 teaspoon 0.25 oz / 7 g salt, or 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
Instructions
Day before baking
- To make the dough stir the malt syrup, yeast, and salt into the lukewarm water in a bowl.
- Place the flour into a mixing bowl and pour in the malt syrup mixture.
- coarse ball, and the flour should be fully hydrated; If using a mixer, use the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed for 3 minutes. If mixing by hand, use a large, sturdy spoon and stir for about 3 minutes, until well blended. The dough should form a stiff,
- Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Resume mixing with the dough hook on the lowest speed for another 3 minutes or transfer to a very lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 3 minutes to smooth out the dough.
- Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
- When you’re ready to shape the bagels, prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone mat, lightly coating it with oil.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. (A typical bagel is about 4 ounces or 113 grams before baking, but you can make them smaller.)
- Form each piece into a loose ball by rolling it on a clean, dry work surface with a cupped hand.
- (Don’t use any flour on the work surface. If the dough slides around and won’t ball up, wipe the surface with a damp paper towel and try again; the slight bit of moisture will provide enough traction for the dough to form into a ball.)
- Then poke a hole through the center of the ball to create a donut shape.
- Holding the dough with both thumbs in the hole, rotate the dough with your hands, gradually stretching it to create a hole about 2 inches in diameter.
- Place each shaped bagel on the prepared sheet pan, then mist with spray oil or brush with a light coating of oil. Cover the entire pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. (You can also proof the full piece of dough in the oiled bowl overnight and then shape the bagels on baking day, 60 to 90 minutes before boiling and baking them, or as soon as they pass the float test.)
On baking day
- Remove the bagels from the refrigerator 60 to 90 minutes before you plan to bake them,
- Immediately check whether the bagels are ready for baking using the “float test”: Place one of the bagels in a small bowl of cold water.
- If it sinks and doesn’t float back to the surface, shake it off, return it to the pan, and wait for another 15 to 20 minutes, then test it again. When one bagel passes the float test, they’re all ready to be boiled. If they pass the float test before you are ready to boil and bake them, return them to the refrigerator so they don’t over proof.
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) and gather and prepare your garnishes (seeds, onions, garlic, and so on).
- To make the poaching liquid, fill a pot with 2 to 3 quarts (181 to 272 g) of water, making sure the water is at least 4 inches deep. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain at a simmer
- . Stir in the malt syrup, baking soda, and salt.
- Gently lower each bagel into the simmering poaching liquid, adding as many as will comfortably fit in the pot. They should all float to the surface within 15 seconds. After 1 minute, use a slotted spoon to turn each bagel over. Poach for another 30 to 60 seconds,
- on a generous amount of whatever toppings you like as soon as the bagels come out of the water then use the slotted spoon to transfer it back to the pan, domed side up. (It’s important that the parchment paper be lightly oiled, or the paper will glue itself to the dough as the bagels bake.) Sprinkle the top of bagels with seeds of your choice.I used black poppy seeds and sesame seeds
- Transfer the pan of bagels to the oven, then lower the oven heat to 450°F (232°C).
- Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pan and check the underside of the bagels. If they’re getting too dark, place another pan under the baking sheet. (Doubling the pan will insulate the first baking sheet.) Bake for another 8 to 12 minutes, until the bagels are a golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
Swathi, your bagels look absolutely perfect! Good job!
Sona says
Beautifully baked bagels, looks so good..
julie says
looks perfectly made..yummy ones !!
Hadia says
Swathi, great minds think alike. I am working on my bagel recipe! Love your detailed explanation and your bagels sound so good!! Pinning!
Meena Kumar says
U are such a pro in baking love everything that comes from ur oven. Awesome bagels Swathi.
Reeni says
Those are gorgeous homemade bagels Swathi! I love flavored cream cheese too but the real stars here are the bagels. I bet everyone loved them. Good luck to your little princess starting 1st grade.
Mullai Madavan says
Beautifully baked bagels... after seeing your step by step pictorial, making bagel sounds very easy! I'm all set with some cream cheese on the side! Nicely done Swathi Iyer!
Nalini Somayaji says
Yummy bagles...we have eaten bagles when we were touring U.S. and Starbucks..Laate...It was perfect breakfast or snack for us..
Well written recipe with detailed steps one can easily follow..
Hats off to your baking skill and interest Swathi Iyer.. ...
Marisa says
Despite I alredy knew your bagels, I can say now that they're perfectly baked. I've baked my first ones today, but the result was not good.
I'm just kneading and hope to bake tomorrow morning.
Cheers from Valencia, dear friend.
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Beautifully crafted and baked bagels! Looks so delish, Swathi!
Amila Wickramarachchi says
These bagels look so perfect and inviting.It is nice to read more of the history of it as well.
amrita says
this looks like dough nut ...perfect baked goodie for breakfast
Winnie says
These bagels look absolutely perfect Swathi!! Like a work of art
If I could I'd grab one right now and eat with lots of butter 🙂
Piyali says
What a beautifully written detailed post. Truly befitting to commence the Baking Partners Challenge. The pictorially depicted step by step method is almost like watching a video. The bagels look voluptuous and yummy. And don't worry about the early mornings dear, it will fall into routine for both you and your princess, speaking from experience.
Huma Kalim says
Looks perfect
Asiya Subani says
The shape of the bagels has come out perfectly... and you are an awesome blogger trying out various recipes which are Indian and International. We need bloggers like you to get inspired... So much dedication and determination...
veena says
Perfect Swathi.. I love Bagels bookmarked this recipe
madhavicyberkitchen says
Perfectly baked bagels. Would try it surely.