Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
- Makes 6 large bagels (or about 30 mini bagels)
- 500 g (4 cups) bread flour or other high-gluten flour (plus a little for the work surface)
- 8 g (2½ tsp) active dry yeast or 50 g (1.75 oz) fresh yeast
- 20 g (1 heaping Tbsp) sugar
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water (plus a little more if needed)
- 8 g (1 heaping tsp) fine salt
- 1 large egg (optional)
For the toppings (pick one or mix them)
- Poppy seeds
- Caraway seeds
- Flaky sea salt
- Fresh garlic, minced
- Fresh onion, thinly sliced
- Fried onions
- Sesame seeds
Like most breads, bagels freeze very well, so you can double these quantities and pull them out whenever you feel like one. In the mini version, you can always keep a few in the freezer and bring them out for an impromptu appetizer.
The egg is optional; in the steps below I’ve shown you what the dough looks like with and without it.
Making the bagel dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the crumbled yeast in 120 ml (½ cup) of the lukewarm water with the sugar. Don’t stir, and let it sit for five minutes until the mixture gets foamy.
To the foamy mixture, add the flour, the egg if you’re using it, the salt and the rest of the water. Mix well. You should get a slightly moist but firm dough. If you add the egg, you’ll need to add a little more flour so the dough can come together into a ball.
On a floured work surface (or still in the mixer), knead the dough for about ten minutes; it will become smooth and elastic. Lightly oil your hands (or use a pastry brush) and rub the oil over the dough. Cover and let rise for one hour (or until doubled in volume) in the turned-off oven to keep it away from drafts.
Here’s what the dough looks like before rising
And here it is after rising (version without egg)
Here’s the dough after rising (version with egg)
Once the time is up, punch down the dough (knead it by hand for a few moments), then let it rest another 10 minutes (or skip this if you’re in a hurry).
On the floured work surface, gently divide the dough into 6 pieces (you can use a scale, but it’s not essential). Shape into balls, then (here’s the great trick: with a floured finger) poke a hole in the middle of each ball. The hole needs to be wide enough (no less than 5-6 cm / about 2 inches) so it doesn’t close up during proofing; the dough is elastic, and you’ll see the hole shrink. Place them on an oiled baking sheet (so they don’t stick) and let rise one last time for about ten minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then lower the heat and poach the bagels (how many at a time depends on the size of your pot). Cook for 1 minute, then flip them with a slotted spoon or a large spoon and leave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, then lift out with the slotted spoon and set back on the oiled baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) fan/convection. Once all the bagels are boiled, sprinkle them with the seeds of your choice (you’ll notice there’s no egg at this stage; there’s no need at all for an egg wash, the seeds will stick thanks to the boiling).
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the middle/lower part of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them until they turn a lovely golden color.
The mini bagel version
Let cool, fill and enjoy!
Tips and variations
- I’ve made this bagel recipe both with and without the egg. Without the egg I found the dough easier to work with (well, the mixer did the work), but it really came together into a proper dough after five minutes of kneading, with a lovely elasticity and no extra flour needed; after rising, though, the two doughs are identical. Taste-wise, the eggless version is slightly less airy, so it’s up to you which you prefer.
- For a brunch, an appetizer or a dinner buffet, you can make them in a mini version (between 25 and 30 g each); you’ll then need to reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes.