Homemade Bagels

Prep 2h30min Cook 25min Serves 8 hard American by Mathilde
VegetarianDFNF
street-foodlightbakedportable
Ixil
Mathilde
Homemade Bagels

Instructions

  1. In the bowl, whisk the warm water, sugar, and yeast together. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

  2. Add the flour and salt, and mix together to form a dough. If it seems too sticky and clings to the sides of the bowl instead of forming a rough mass, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and continue to mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be stiff and somewhat dry. If it is crumbly and breaks off in pieces, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.

  3. Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 6–7 minutes, until the dough feels smooth, supple, and elastic (windowpane test).

  4. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1.5–2 hours, or until doubled in size.

  5. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

  6. When the dough is risen, punch it down to release the air. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Press your index finger through the center of each ball to make a hole, then stretch and widen the hole. Arrange the shaped bagels on the prepared baking sheets. Loosely cover the shaped bagels with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 5–10 minutes as you prepare the water bath.

  7. Preheat the oven to 210°C

  8. Fill a large, wide pot with water. Whisk in the honey. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-high. Drop 2 or 3 bagels in at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Boil the bagels for 1 minute, then use a spatula to flip each bagel over and boil for 1 minute more. Using a slotted metal spatula, lift the bagels out of the water, letting the excess water drain off. Place the bagels back on the lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining bagels.

  9. Make the egg wash with the egg white beaten with a tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top and around the sides of each bagel. If you’re adding toppings, dip the tops of the bagels into the toppings immediately after applying the egg wash.

  10. Bake for 20–25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the bagels are dark golden brown.