i am a big fan of bagels, and have had this on my list of things to make for awhile now.
after my kitchen aid walked itself off the counter when making dinner rolls (at thanksgiving!) i knew bagels would not work since it’s a stiff dough.
then i got an ankarsum and my bagel dreams have come true. you can definitely use a kitchen aid or other heavy duty stand mixer (not a tilt head!) you just need to watch it carefully as this is a very stiff dough.
this is a pretty straightforward and easy recipe — mix the dough, let it rise, pop it in the fridge and give it a long rest. shaping is super easy, and then you boil and bake.
you have two choices when boiling your bagels to get that signature deep golden color and signature flavor. you can use food grade lye, which can be dangerous, but nothing you can’t handle. this is what i chose and i promise it’s nothing to be scared of. you may have to go a bit out of your way to find it — i found some in an asian grocery store. if that doesn’t sound like your thing, you can use plain old baking soda. your bagels will still be good, i promise.
for topping, you can use your favorites — sesame seeds, everything bagel, salt, poppy seeds. whatever your favorite is works. sprinkle on after boiling but before baking.
i’m gonna be honest, i’ve made a lot of complicated things, and i was intimidated by bagels, but it was much easier than i thought, even using the lye solution. but i will definitely be doing it again next time i am doing a casual brunch or something.
ny bagels
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 20 g sugar
- 350 ml warm water
- 440 g bread flour plus more for mixing/shaping
- 6 g salt
- lye or baking soda for boiling
- toppings of your choice
Instructions
- in the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer put the yeast, sugar and a third of the warm water. let sit for 5 minutes until yeast is bubbly.
- add the remaining water, flour, and salt.
- mix on medium low speed until it forms a stiff dough. it should be tacky but not sticky. if it seems too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time.
- continue mixing the dough until you can successfully perform the windowpane test - take a small piece of dough with your hands and stretch it until you can almost see through it without it tearing. this ensures the gluten is well developed. this process can take 20 minutes or more, so don’t get discouraged.
- when you’re done mixing, transfer to a mixing bowl brushed with olive oil. cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour — dough should double in size.
- cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours but up to 36.
- remove from fridge and divide the dough into eight equal portions. i weighed mine and they were about 100 grams each.
- roll the dough into tight balls. press a hole in the center of each ball to form a bagel shape. place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. let rest for 20 minutes.
- preheat oven to 450 f.
- in a large pot, add 3 liters of water and one tablespoon of either baking soda or lye. if using lye, gloves and goggles are recommended during the boiling process.
- add the bagels one or two at a time, about 1 minute per side.
- transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
- sprinkle bagels with your desired seasoning immediately after boiling so it sticks.
- bake for 20-30 minutes until bagels are a deep golden brown. if you notice your seasoning starting to burn, tent a sheet of foil over top.
- let bagels cool completely, and store in an airtight container. they also freeze well.