Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (2024)

There's something conquering about making your own bread. For me at least, I never made bread much fearing using yeast like an OCD person fears breaking routine. Of course it helps enormously when you have a mixer with a dough hook attachment that does all of the work for you. Now I can't stop baking things especially breads. We have so many things spilling out of our fridge, packed away in the freezer, given away to family and friends that its becoming a worrisome habit.

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (1)

Today is Tropfest though and I need a snack that will be filling enough to be dinner but transportable too. If there is a criticism of bagels, its that for me, they're almost too filling for a snack or lunch but perfect as dinner fodder. And of course I have plenty of cream cheese and smoked salmon on standby.

I made three different kinds of bagels: onion, poppyseed and sesame seed which simply involved dividing the dough into three. For the onion, I finely chopped up onion and left it to prove in the final stage. For the poppyseed and sesame seed bagels all that was required was a quick sprinkle before popping them into the oven.

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (2)

I did find that fastening the join in the circle was a bit troublesome, after boiling them, the join would undo. But whilst affected this aesthetically it didn't affect it functionally, as the bagel swelled and was able to contain the smoked salmon and cream cheese filling perfectly. Boxing these smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels up I felt something like a proud Jewish mother making bagels for her brood. Oy vey!

Bagels from How to be a Domestic Goddess

Did you make this recipe? Share your creations by tagging @notquitenigella on Instagram with the hashtag #notquitenigella

Be the first to rate this recipe:

Print Recipe

  • 1 kg of white flour, plus more as necessary for kneading

  • 1 tablespoon of salt

  • 7g of easy yeast or 15g of fresh yeast

  • 2 tablespoons of sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing

  • 500mL warm water, plus more as needed

  • 2 tablespoon of malt or sugar, for poaching the bagels

  • 2-3 baking sheets, oiled or greased

  • Sesame seeds, poppyseeds or finely diced onion optional

Step 1 - Combine the flour, salt and yeast together in a large bowl, add the sugar and the oil to the water. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquid, mixing to a dough with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Step 2 - Knead the dough either by hand or with dough hook, trying to add more flour if you can, dough is better drier than wetter, the dough will be stiff and hard work, even with the dough hook it takes 10 minutes.

Step 3 - Form the dough into a ball and put it into an oiled bowl, turning once to coat all around, then cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave it to rise for 1 hour. It should be well risen, and when you poke it with your finger , the impression should remain.

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (3)

_Proving (waiting to rise)

_

Step 4 - Punch the dough down and then give a good knead and divide into 3 pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a rope then cut each rope into 5 pieces. Roll each piece between the palms of your hands into a ball and then roll into another rope, curling to form ring. Seal the ends by overlapping.

Step 5 - Put on a large pan of water to boil, when it boils add the malt or the sugar.

Step 6 - Sit the bagels on the baking sheets cover with tea towels and leave for 20 minutes by which times they should be puffy. Preheat oven to 240C.

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (4)

Step 7 - When the waters boiling, start poaching, drop a couple of bagels at a time into the boiling water and boil for 1 minute turning them once, use a couple of spatulas for this.

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (5)

Step 8 - As you poach them put them back onto the oiled baking sheets, well spaced and then bake for 10-15 minutes until they're shiny and golden brown. Mine were done within 10 minutes so do check after 10 minutes.

Makes 15 Bagels.

From How To Be A Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (6)

Published on 2008-02-25 by Lorraine Elliott.

Recipe: Bagels - the real thing (2024)

FAQs

Can you substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour in bagels? ›

Bagel Recipe Ingredients

This recipe also works with all-purpose flour, they're just a bit less chewy than bagels made with bread flour. Maple syrup – It activates the yeast and gives the bagels a hint of sweetness. Warm water – Along with the maple syrup, it gets the yeast going, and it brings the dough together.

How much baking soda do you put in water to boil bagels? ›

Place 8 cups water, 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer. Shape the bagels.

Why boil bagels before baking? ›

It sets the outer layer of the dough, giving the bagel its distinctive chewiness. The boiling process gelatinizes the starches on the surface, creating a glossy, crackly crust during baking. Additionally, boiling gives the bagel its characteristic dense interior while maintaining a tender crumb.

What makes New York style bagels different from other types of bagels? ›

A New York–style bagel is always boiled in water that has had barley malt added, which gives a bagel its signature taste, texture, and leathery skin.

What makes bagels so chewy? ›

Bread flour is the essential ingredient to creating that distinct chewy bite we all crave in a bagel. Its high protein content creates a stiff dough that holds its shape while baking and develops more gluten for more chew.

What makes a perfect bagel? ›

A good bagel should have a thin, shiny, crackly crust spotted with the kind of microblisters that you can only get from proper boiling followed by a high-temperature bake. It's these little bubbles that add both surface area and crunch.

Why do my bagels go flat when I boil them? ›

Over proofed dough will lose its strength too early and cause the bagels to deflate either during the second rise or while cooking.

Why do you put honey in boiling water for bagels? ›

BOILING. Add honey and baking soda to boiling water in a large pot. This will help give the bagels a nice sheen and golden brown color when out of the oven. Add a few bagels at a time to the pot, making sure they're not crowded.

Why do you add sugar to boiling water for bagels? ›

Some recipes also call for the addition of sugar (I like to use brown sugar) or baking powder to help give the bagels more color or shine. Boil each bagel on one side for about 1 minute, then flip and let them boil on the other side for the same amount of time.

Why is there a hole in the middle of a bagel? ›

The hole in the middle of the bagel allows it to have a larger surface area, making it easier to consistently cook the bagel all the way through. This is important because bagel dough can be incredibly thick, which would make it difficult to know if the center was cooked completely if the hole was not there.

What is a bagel without a hole called? ›

Overview. Bialys (without holes) and bagels (with) A chewy yeast roll bearing similarity to the bagel, the bialy has a diameter of up to 15 centimetres (6 in). Unlike a bagel, which is boiled before baking, a bialy is simply baked, and instead of a hole in the middle it has a depression.

Do you flip bagels when baking? ›

You might say, “I never have to flip loaves of bread when I bake them, how is the crisp-factor any different here?” But the reason flipping is so essential has to do with the boiling. Obviously the bagels are covered with water, and if you bake them with one side up the whole time, the bottom will be much softer.

Why are NJ bagels the best? ›

These ingredients are mixed with Jersey water. Why is the water in New Jersey so important to the end product? Jersey has soft water that contains a low concentration of minerals. This allows for the perfect baking chemistry when mixed with the flour's high concentration of proteins.

What city is famous for its bagels? ›

New York isn't the only Atlantic-side city full of tasty bagels. Although Philadelphia Cream Cheese was invented in New York state, Philly boasts a longtime reputation for having the best cream cheese. It's no wonder Philadelphia (No.

What do New Yorkers call cream cheese on a bagel? ›

In American Jewish cuisine, a bagel and cream cheese is sometimes called a "whole schmear" or "whole schmeer". A "slab" is a bagel with a slab of cream cheese on top. A "lox and a schmear" is to a bagel with cream cheese and lox or “Nova” smoked salmon.

What happens if you use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour? ›

You can always substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour one for one in any recipe that calls for it. Your bread might not raise quite as high or have quite as much chew, if you are using all-purpose flour, but it will still be delicious and homemade and all the good things.

How do I convert all-purpose flour to bread flour? ›

Bread Flour Substitute Recipe

Pour 1 cup flour into a large bowl and remove 1 teaspoon flour (2.6 grams). Add the vital wheat gluten and whisk to combine. Use immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Is bagel dough the same as bread dough? ›

Both bagels and bread contain yeast, flour, water, and sugar. However, many bagel recipes use barley malt syrup, a grain-based sweetener, instead of granulated sugar. Bagels also generally contain less water and more flour compared to other bread types, which is why bagels are denser than typical slices of bread.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Twana Towne Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 5668

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Twana Towne Ret

Birthday: 1994-03-19

Address: Apt. 990 97439 Corwin Motorway, Port Eliseoburgh, NM 99144-2618

Phone: +5958753152963

Job: National Specialist

Hobby: Kayaking, Photography, Skydiving, Embroidery, Leather crafting, Orienteering, Cooking

Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.