We have been making bagels at home for years and we can confidently say we have perfected the perfect New York style bagel. They are soft and chewy, and probably better than store bought. We like to make a big batch of these and store them in the freezer so we always have bagels for the weekend. Add you favourite spreads or make a delicious sandwich!
Makes 12 bagels
Ingredients
FOR THE YEAST MIXTURE
- 12g active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
- 35g granulated sugar (8 teaspoons)
- 250ml warm water (1 cup)
FOR THE DOUGH
- 875g all-purpose flour (7 cups)
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 700ml warm water, (you may need more or you may need less) (3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon honey
Method
- Begin by making the yeast mixture. Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water. Stir and cover for about five minutes until the mixture begins to bubble.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the dough hook attachment, or using a large bowl if mixing by hand, mix together the salt and flour. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix to just combine. Slowly start to add the water until the flour comes together with the water. This may take 2 cups or you may need more. Set the speed to medium and knead the dough for 10 minutes until the dough has become smooth and elastic. If you don’t have an electric mixer, do this with your hands on a lightly floured countertop. Cover with a damp dish towel and leave for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
- Once done, punch down on the dough. Divide the mixture into 100g pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball. Press it against your work surface in a back and forth motion, then form into a round dough ball. Repeat with the other pieces.
- Gently press your finger into the centre of the dough ball. Stretch it until it forms the classic bagel shape. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
- After shaping the bagels, transfer them to a baking tray. Cover with a damp dish towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add 1 tablespoon of honey to the water. Add the bagels in batches to the water and reduce the heat to medium-low. Boil for 1 minute on each side. Remove from the water with a large slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack. Repeat this process until you have boiled all the bagels.
- Brush each bagel with an egg wash. Sprinkle your desired toppings before baking. We used a combination of sesame seeds and rosemary coriander sea salt.
- Transfer the bagels to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool on a wire rack before slicing in and adding your favourite spreads or fillings. Enjoy!
