Basic Bagels Recipes

BASIC BAGEL (FOR THE BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Remove dough from the machine after the first knead- approximately 20- 30 minutes.
• Place dough on floured surface.
• Divide into 8 parts.
• Form balls, gently press thumb through center of ball and slowly stretch into bagel shape.
• While bagels rise, bring 3 quarts water and 1 TBS sugar to a rapid boil in a large sauce pan.
• Drop test dough (see first success hint).
• Using slotted spoon, drop 2-3 bagels into rapidly boiling water.
• Boil on each side for 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove and cool on rack 1 minute, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
• Bake at 400°F on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, until golden brown- approximately 15 minutes.
• Bagel Success Hints: When forming bagels, set aside two 1/4" balls of dough.
• When bagels have doubled in size, drop the test dough into boiling water.
• Dough should pop to the top right away.
• When this happens, it is time to boil the bagels.
• A quick spray of non-stick vegetable coating on the top of the bagel may be substituted for the egg wash.
• To make bagel sticks, cut bagel before rising and lay out in a straight line.
• Roll sticks in a combination of sesame and poppy seeds with a pinch of garlic powder.
• Let sticks rise, boil, and bake as described in Basic Bagel process steps above.
• To make bagel chips, slice leftover bagels horizontally into thin slices.
• Brush with butter or margarine on one side.
• Lay (butter side up) on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

EASY BAGELS!

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 450°.
• Mix Yeast with warm water and sugar and stir. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of flour at a time to the yeast mixture and salt and oil.
• Mix together, when it starts to get stiff use your hands.
• Put on floured counter and knead until smooth.
• In the meantime, boil a large pot of water for 15 minutes.
• Once dough is well kneaded, cut into twelve even pieces.
• Roll pieces and form into bagel shapes.
• Rest for 15 minutes on greased baking sheet covered with a towel.
• Boil 4 at a time, 30 seconds per side.
• While wet, sprinkle with salt/sesame seeds etc.
• Put on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

REAL HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/4 cup water, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, vegetable oil, and yeast in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed using the dough hook until well-developed, about 8 minutes. To ensure the gluten has developed fully, cut off a walnut-sized piece of dough. Flour your fingers, and then stretch the dough: if it tears immediately, the dough needs more kneading. Fully developed dough should form a thin translucent "windowpane."
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let rise for 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down, place it on a lightly floured work surface, and use a knife or dough scraper to divide the dough into 6 pieces (or more, for smaller bagels). Roll each piece of dough into a sausage shape about 6 inches long. Join the ends to form a circle. Repeat with the remaining dough, and let the bagels rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange small plates with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and onion flakes next to the baking sheet.
• Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add honey, if desired (see Editor's Note). Boil the bagels, three at a time, until they rise to the surface of the pot, about 1 minute per side. Remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Dip the tops of the wet bagels into the toppings and arrange them, seeds up, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven until the bagels begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

BASIC BAGELS

Steps:

• Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl.
• Add water gradually and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, scrapping bowl occasionally.
• Add 1/2 cup of flour.
• Beat at high speed for two minutes, scrapping bowl occasionally.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
• (Dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl).
• Turn out onto lightly floured surface.
• Knead for about 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as necessary.
• Place in ungreased bowl.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes (dough will rise, but will not double).
• Punch down dough; divide into 12 small balls.
• Poke finger through the middle of the ball to the other end.
• Make a round hole about 1/2 inch in diameter.
• Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Boil at least 2-inchs of water in a large shallow pan.
• Lower heat and add a few bagels at a time.
• Simmer bagels in water for 2 to 3 minutes turning once.
• Remove from water and replace the bagels on the greased baking sheet.
• Mix together egg white and a tablespoon of water.
• Brush the egg white wash over each bagel.
• Sprinkle poppy seeds or sesame seeds over the bagels.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Variations:
• Italian Herb Bagels: Add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and replace salt with onion salt.
• Onion Bagels: Add 2 tablespoons of dehydrated minced onion, and replace salt with onion salt.

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• Combine the water, yeast, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of the flour and the salt, and mix until the mixture comes together.
• Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups additional flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a stiff dough, either stirring with the wooden spoon or working with your hands. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes, adding just as much flour as needed. (Dough should be heavier and stiffer than regular yeast bread dough.)
• Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
• Grease a baking sheet with the remaining teaspoon of oil.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. Divide into 12 equal pieces, about 2 to 3 ounces each, measuring about 4 inches across. Form each piece of dough into a ball. Roll each ball into a 4 to 6-inch log. Join the ends and place fingers through the hole and roll the ends together. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place on the prepared baking sheet, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest until risen but not doubled in a draft-free spot, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the cornmeal on another baking sheet.
• In a large, heavy pot, bring 12 cups of water and the remaining tablespoon of sugar to a boil. In batches, add the bagels to the water and boil, turning, for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Dip the bagel tops in desired toppings. Flip bagels onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 5 minutes, turn over and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

BAGELS

Steps:

• Mix the yeast with 300ml lukewarm water. Put the flour, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix together. Pour over the yeasty liquid and mix into a rough dough.
• Tip out onto the work surface and knead together until smooth and elastic - this should take around 10 mins.
• Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a piece of oiled cling film. Place in a warm area and leave until doubled in size, about 1 hr, then uncover and tip onto your work surface.
• Divide the dough into 10 portions and form into balls - I like to weigh them to make sure that they're all the same size. Line up on 2 parchment-lined baking trays and cover lightly with cling film.
• Leave for around 30 mins or until risen and puffy, then remove the cling film.
• Use a floured finger to make a hole in the centre of each bagel, swirling it around to stretch the dough a little, but being careful not to knock out too much air. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the bicarbonate of soda to alkalise the water (see tip, below left). Place 1-2 of the bagels in the water at a time and boil for 1 min (2 mins if you want a chewier bagel), turning over halfway through. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the bagels, drain well and place back on the baking tray.
• Brush the bagels with the egg white and sprinkle with your chosen seeds. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before eating. They will keep for 3-4 days, or freeze for 2 months (see How to freeze, below left).