Description
This Authentic New York Bagel recipe delivers chewy, golden bagels with a perfect crust, made using traditional methods including boiling and baking. Enjoy homemade bagels topped with your favorite seasoning, ideal for breakfast or snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar or barley malt syrup
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (around 110°F)
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Boiling Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons baking soda or barley malt syrup (for boiling)
Toppings
- Everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds, as desired
Instructions
- Activate yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm water and sugar or malt syrup. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make dough: Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, which develops gluten for the bagel’s texture.
- First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size, allowing fermentation for flavor and lightness.
- Shape bagels: Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and poke a hole through the center. Gently stretch the hole to form the classic bagel shape.
- Rest shaped bagels: Place the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined tray and let them rest for 15–20 minutes to relax the dough before boiling.
- Boil bagels: Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Bring a large pot of water to boil and add baking soda or malt syrup. Boil each bagel for 45 seconds on each side; this step sets the crust and gives the bagels their characteristic chew.
- Add toppings: Remove boiled bagels with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, then dip the tops into desired toppings such as everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds. Place them back on the parchment-lined tray.
- Bake bagels: Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crusty. Allow to cool slightly before serving to finish setting the crumb.
Notes
- Using barley malt syrup in the dough and boiling water enhances the authentic flavor but sugar can be substituted.
- Boiling the bagels is crucial for achieving the signature chewy crust and texture.
- Let the dough rise in a warm draft-free spot for best results.
- Bagels can be frozen after shaping; boil and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to baking time.
- Experiment with various toppings like poppy seeds, coarse salt, or garlic flakes for variety.
