New York bagels

• 1 hour and 40 minutes to prepare • 20 minutes to cook • Serves 8

New York New York

As you know I have a fascination with all sort of baking but I had yet to tackle the almighty New York Style bagel.

Why? Firstly, because I’m not from New York and I don’t want to offend anyone who is. Secondly and more importantly, because bagels are among my favorite foods in the world, and I know I will never be completely satisfied with my own version of them.

Regardless, I took a shot and I tested this recipe, and they came out pretty good, so I feel confident sharing this with you. 

A bagel is a bread originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. It made its way to the US in the late 19th century. Traditionally, it is yeasted dough shaped by hand into the form of a bracelet hence the german origin of its name ‘beugel’ translating to “bracelet” or “ring.”

The hole in the middle of the bagel allows it to have a larger surface area, making it easier to consistently cook the bagel all the way through. Also, the hole allows the bagels to be easily transported and stacked on wooden dowels as you will see in some bagel shops in NYC. 

More common in North America is the method of boiling the bread for a short time in water before baking it. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior.  Boil for 1 minute on each side and you will get a slight chew, however, I boil mine for 2 minutes each side and I feel it gives it that authentic chewiness that we expect from a New York bagel. 

In the following all the steps are laid out, plain and simple, so you can see how simple the process truly is. Enjoy!

Here are ingredients for a 8-serving recipe (8 bagels):

For the bagels:
7 g active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
280 ml warm water
250 g type-0 flour
250 g manitoba flour

30 g butter
6 g salt
sesame and poppy seeds as optional toppings

For the boiling solution:
30 g baking soda

3 l water

1 tablespoon honey

1. In 120 ml of the warm water, pour in the honey and yeast. Let it sit for five minutes, and then stir the yeast mixture until it all dissolves in the water
2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and sugar mixture
3. Pour 80 ml of warm water into the well. Mix and stir in the rest of the water (the 100 ml that is remaining), as needed
4. On a floured counter-top, knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding the butter gradually, until it is smooth and elastic. Try working in as much flour as possible to form a firm and stiff dough
5. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size
6. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a round. Now, take a dough ball, and press it gently against the counter top moving your hand and the ball in a circular motion pulling the dough into itself while reducing the pressure on top of the dough slightly until a perfect dough ball forms. Repeat with 7 other dough rounds
7. Coat a finger in flour, and gently press your finger into the center of each dough ball to form a ring. Stretch the ring to about ⅓ the diameter of the bagel and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Repeat the same step with the remaining dough
8. Cover bagels with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 220ºC
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat. Use a skimmer to lower the bagels into the water. Boil as many as you are comfortable with boiling. Once the bagels are in, it shouldn’t take too long for them to float to the top. Let them sit there for 1 minute, and then flip them over to boil for another minute. Extend the boiling times to 2 minutes each, if you’d prefer a chewier bagel (results will give you a more New York-Style bagel with this option)
10. Remove the bagel from the liquid mixture and place onto a cloth to drain. Then, put it on the baking tray, lined with parchment paper
11. Top bagels with your choice of toppings and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown
12. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a grill until chill. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts are detailed in the table below. Data is provided per serving.