Best Homemade Bagels Recipes

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.

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.

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, sugar, salt and egg yolk; mix well. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Shape into 12 balls. Push thumb through centers to form a 1-1/2-in. hole. Stretch and shape dough to form an even ring. Place on a floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes; flatten bagels slightly. , Fill a Dutch oven two-thirds full with water; bring to a boil. Drop bagels, 2 at a time, into boiling water. Cook for 45 seconds; turn and cook 45 seconds longer. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well on paper towels. , Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• For the dough: Pour 1/2 cup warm water into a mixing bowl. Mix in the barley malt syrup, yeast packet and sugar until dissolved, then allow the yeast to foam, 10 minutes.
• To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the bread flour and salt and mix to combine. When the yeast mixture is ready, pour into the flour along with an additional 1 3/4 cups warm water. Mix until a soft dough forms. Your dough should clean the bowl and begin to climb the hook. Mix for about 5 minutes more on medium speed.
• After 5 minutes of mixing, pour the dough onto a clean surface and continue kneading by hand for an additional 15 minutes, until the dough is stiff, slightly tacky and very smooth. Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (see Cook's Note).
• Pre-shape the dough: Fold the dough down, deflating it, then turn out onto a clean work surface. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 4 ounces each. Form each piece of dough into a tight ball, rounding it in a circular motion until smooth. Place on a parchment-lined sheet tray lightly sprayed with cooking spray and repeat with the remaining dough, 6 to a tray. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Shape and proof: Roll out each ball into a rope roughly 9 to 10 inches. Pick up the rope and wrap it around your fingers where they meet your palm, overlapping the ends and forming a ring of even thickness. Seal the seam by rolling on your palm, then reshape if necessary into an even ring. Place back on the parchment and repeat with the remaining dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, then place the damp towel over the sheet tray. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only. Your grill should be at 450 degrees F.
• Finishing and baking: Allow the chill to come off of the bagels for at least 1 hour before baking. The bagels are ready to finish when the dough floats in room temperature water. Fill a bowl with room temperature water, pick up a bagel and drop it into the bowl. If it floats, the bagels are ready to proceed with the rest of the finishing and baking process. If the dough sinks, allow the dough to set out at room temperature for another 30 minutes and test again.
• For the bagels: Fill a pot halfway with water and bring to a boil on the direct heat side of the grill. Whisk in the barley malt syrup and baking soda. The water should look like brewed black tea. Drop as many bagels as will comfortably fit, about 4, into the pot and boil for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. Remove to a draining rack and continue with the remaining bagels. Pour your desired toppings onto plates and dip the tops of each bagel into the topping, pressing gently.
• Put the bagels on a cast-iron pan, place on the offset heat part of the grill, close the grill and bake until the bagels are deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.
• Oven method: Bake on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet at 450 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes.

HOMEMADE BAGELS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a food processor, add the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Pulse until incorporated.
• While running, slowly add the warm water until the dough balls up. You may not need all the warm water.
• Carefully push the dough back into the blade's path and continue to process for an additional 30 seconds or until the dough is firm and stretchy, but not sticky nor squishy.
• Gently round the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp, warm towel for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Add the barley malt syrup to about 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
• Place a tray with about 2 quarts of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat to 425°F (220°C).
• Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces (roughly 5 ounces (140 g) a piece if you use a scale). Cover the pieces with a damp towel.
• One at a time, form the dough into a ball, pinching the seams together at the bottom. Place the dough seam side down and-cupping your hand over the dough-apply gentle pressure, working the ball in circles until the seams on the bottom are smoothed out. Gently reshape the edges of the ball into a circle.
• Using your thumb, press down into the center of the ball to the counter. Working in a circle, carefully stretch the dough into a ring until the hole at the center is about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
• Place the dough rings under a damp towel and let rise for 10 minutes.
• Working in batches of two, place the bagels in the boiling water/syrup. They should float at the surface. Let them boil for 30 seconds, then flip and boil for an additional 30 seconds.
• Remove the bagels from the water/syrup and gently pat dry with a clean towel.
• Brush the tops with the beaten egg. Optionally, if you want toppings, dip the egg-washed side of the bagel into the mixture of your choice.
• Place the bagels on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Enjoy!

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together yeast and warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on a low speed, add sugar, 1 tablespoon malt syrup, flour, and salt. Knead until a dough forms, about 1 minute. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky (if necessary, add more flour or water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl; cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Cover with a damp, clean kitchen towel, and let rest for about 20 minutes. (This will relax the dough and make it easier to shape.)
• Line two unrimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, and lightly brush with oil; set aside. With lightly oiled hands, roll each piece of dough into a 6-inch rope. Holding one end of rope between your thumb and forefinger, wrap dough around your hand to form a circle with overlapping ends (they should overlap by a few inches). Still holding the dough, press the overlapping ends on the work surface, rolling back and forth to seal with the palm of your hand.
• Place the bagels 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap, and let rest until slightly puffed, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Fill a large stockpot (the wider, the better) with about 5 quarts of water, and bring to a boil. Add remaining 2 tablespoons malt syrup. Gently drop bagels into the water. (Add as many bagels as will comfortably fit without touching each other.) After 30 seconds, use a slotted spoon or skimmer to flip bagels over; simmer for 30 seconds more.
• Using the slotted spoon, return bagels to parchment-lined sheets. Top with seeds or coarse salt, as desired, while bagels are still wet.
• Immediately place sheets in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate sheets and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until the tops of the bagels begin to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, flip bagels over, and continue to bake until other sides turn golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Transfer bagels to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Bagels can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic or stored in resealable bags, for up to 3 weeks. Preslice bagels before freezing for easy toasting.

AUTHENTIC NEW YORK-STYLE HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• With a wooden spoon, stir in oil, malt and one cup of the flour. Add salt, then enough of remaining flour to make a stiff dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead for 10 to 12 minutes. Cover with a floured dish towel and allow dough to rest on a board for about 15 minutes.
• Divide dough into 12 sections and form each section into 10-inch long strips. Roll the ends together to seal and make a ring. Place on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let bagels rest 15 to 20 minutes, rising about halfway and becoming slightly puffy.
• Meanwhile, fill a large cooking pot or Dutch oven three quarters full with water. Add the malt syrup and salt.
• Bring water to a boil. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment and, if desired, sprinkle generously with corn meal. Set aside.
• Line two other baking sheets with a kitchen towel, set near your stove. Reduce boiling water to a simmer and cook 2 bagels at a time (do not crowd the pot). Simmer bagels for about 45 seconds on one side, then turn and cook other side for another 45 seconds and then drain bagels on the towel-lined baking sheet.
• Carefully place bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake bagels plain or sprinkle with a topping of your choice. Place in the hot oven, immediately reduce heat to 425 degrees F, and bake about 17 to 25 minutes. When almost baked, turn bagels over (a pair of tongs do the job easily). If you have a baking stone, finish bagels on the stone directly. Transfer bagels to wire rack to cool.
• These freeze well, which helps to retain a just-baked taste, if they aren't all eaten on the first day. To freeze, slice cooled bagels first, place a small strip of plastic between the bagel halves and place in a plastic self-sealing freezer bag. When you're ready for a bagel, they'll come apart easily, ready to pop into the toaster/oven and enjoy.

EASY HOMEMADE BAGELS RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Notes: I invested in a baking stone, and that is how I get crispy pizza crusts, and crispy baked rolls. I also use parchment paper, and cannot be without it. I buy mine pre-cut from King Arthur Flour.com. I also found that a "spider"(shallow wire mesh basket with a long handle) made flipping over the bagels, draining them and placing them on the baking sheet really easy to do. I never, EVER use cheaper bleached flour. In my honest opinion, King Arthur Flour is worth the extra cost, because it's non-GMO, not bleached with scary chemicals, and has a high gluten content. Important: I used my Kitchen Aid Stand mixer, because it's less elbow grease than kneading this dough by hand. I also invested in a pizza peel, that makes the transfer of my breads/pizza much easier to do. *Mel's notes: I never have bread flour on hand, so I always use all-purpose flour, subbing 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten in for every cup of flour (or 1 tablespoon gluten for about every 5 ounces of flour if you prefer to weigh your ingredients). For this doubled recipe, I used 16 ounces of whole wheat flour, about 3 ounces of gluten and made up the rest of the 34 ounces with all-purpose flour. Manual/Mixer Method: To make this dough in a mixer, combine all of the dough ingredients and on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. (To make this dough by hand combine all of the dough ingredients and knead vigorously, by hand for 10 to 15 minutes.) Mel's notes: Since a high-protein bread flour is used here (or a combination of all-purpose flour and gluten), it takes a bit more effort and time to develop the gluten. The dough will be stiffer than other soft yeast dough but will still be pliable and smooth once it has finished kneading. It should be stiff and floured enough not to leave much residue on your fingers after pinching a piece but not so stiff that you can't easily pinch off pieces of dough and work with it. My note: I used the dough hook, and the dough had developed enough gluten after ten minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Set it aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until it is noticeably puffy. Note: I use my oven as a "proofing drawer". I turn the oven on WARM for one minute, then turn off the oven. My dough had risen, beautifully, in less than an hour! Transfer the puffed/risen dough to a work surface and divide the dough into eight equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it into a smooth, round ball. Place the balls on a lined or lightly greased baking tray and cover lightly. Let them rest for 30 minutes. They'll puff up very slightly. Note: I forgot to cover the dough, and it developed a bit of a crust, giving the bagels a slightly wrinkled look. My bagels still turned out great, but next time I won't forget to cover them while resting. Once they have rested, one-by-one, use your thumb to poke a hole through the center of each ball then twirl the dough and use your other fingers to stretch the hole until it is about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The entire bagel will be around 4 inches across. Place the shaped bagels on a lined baking tray (the same one that you'll bake them on). Prepare the water bath by heating the water and sugars to a very gentle boil in a large, wide-diameter pan. You can use a large pot or a deep straight-edged skillet. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Top the bagels with your desired ingredients. If you are going to use a dry topping, such as sesame seeds or poppy seeds, whisk together 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon water and brush each bagel with the mixture before topping heavily with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc. If using Asiago or another cheese, there is no need to brush the bagels with an egg white glaze, simply place the shredded cheese on the bagels. Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're as deep brown as you like. Remove the bagels from the oven, and cool completely on a wire rack. My notes: My bagels were a perfect golden brown at 20 minutes. I always cool my breads on a rack, so that the bottoms don't become soggy. This recipe made 8 HUGE bagels! I baked four at a time, and it was no problem for the second batch to rest. Both batches turned out beautifully. I think that the egg white wash really helped to give a beautiful color.

I SWEAR I MADE THEM MYSELF HOMEMADE EVERYTHING BAGELS

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, yeast, and the 1.5 Tablespoons of granulated sugar in a mixer with a dough hook. Let stand 5 minutes until the yeast activates and the mixture becomes foamy.
• Gradually add 2 cups of the flour and the salt and mix with dough hook until combined.
• Slowly add the additional 1/2 cup flour while working with your hands. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and continue to knead until smooth and no longer sticky (add up to 1/2 cup more flour if necessary).
• Grease a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil and roll the dough ball to cover all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about an hour (or until almost double in size).
• After an hour, punch the dough down and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6" log and combine the ends with a little moisture (make sure they are joined or you will end up with cresents).
• Place the bagels on a greased cookie sheet, cover, and let rise again for 20 to 30 minutes (no longer).
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
• Bring a large pot of water, flavored with the 1.5 teaspoon of sugar, to a boil. Drop the bagels into the water and boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute, turning.
• Upon removal from the boiling water, place the bagels onto an oiled baking sheet covered in cornmeal. Place into a preheated 400 degree fahrenheit oven.
• Bake for 5 minutes. Remove and brush with an egg yolk. Top with desired toppings and put back into the oven for 28 to 32 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn oven down to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Remove when golden brown and hollow sounding.
• Cool on a wire rack.

PEPPERONI PIZZA BAGELS WITH HOMEMADE HOT HONEY

Steps:

• Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler unit, and preheat the broiler.
• Using food prep gloves, thinly slice the serrano chiles into rounds. If you don't have gloves, just be very careful to not touch your face when handling.
• Combine the honey and sliced serrano chiles in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the heat is infused into the honey, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Cut the wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano into chunks and put them in a mini food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse the cheese until it is finely ground and resembles coarse sand. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Slice the chunk of mozzarella into 1/2-inch rounds, then tear the rounds by hand.
• Cut the pepperoni into 1/8-inch thick slices. Cut 3 to 4 of the pickled jalapenos into thin rounds.
• Slice the bagels in half and, scoop out the interior using your fingers and put them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the bagel halves with olive oil, then broil until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Run the garlic clove over the cut-side of the bagels to infuse them with garlicky goodness.
• Spoon the tomato sauce onto the bagel halves, top with the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, jalapeno and pepperoni. Finish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano and broil until bubbly and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To serve, drizzle the hot honey over the top of the pizza bagels and enjoy! You did it!

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Stir together 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon malt syrup in a small bowl; sprinkle the yeast on top. Let soften a minute, then stir. Set aside until foamy or bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Pour in the yeast mixture and 2/3 cup warm water and stir with a wooden spoon to make a shaggy dough. Not all the flour will be mixed in.
• Knead the dough in the bowl to mix in more of the flour, and work the dough into a rough ball in the bowl.
• Knead the dough: Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and begin kneading. As you knead, the dough will become tacky and stick to your fingers, then it should lose its stickiness and form a somewhat smooth ball (this should take 3 to 4 minutes). If the dough is still sticky, lightly dust with flour.
• Once the dough starts to smooth out, continue kneading until it's very satiny and pillowy feeling (this should take 5 to 10 minutes). Rip off a small piece of dough and gently stretch the 4 corners. If it can stretch very thin without tearing, it's ready. If it tears, knead another 2 minutes and test again.
• Transfer the dough to a clean bowl lightly misted with cooking spray, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. You don't want the dough to over-proof or form bubbles on the surface. Keep an eye on it; the dough can proof quickly in a warm spot.
• Divide the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and mist with cooking spray. Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and press to flatten and deflate the dough, making sure to press out any large air bubbles. Divide into 6 pieces, 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 ounces each.
• Pull the corners of each piece together into the center of the dough, turn over so the seam is on the bottom and roll the dough against the counter into a tight ball with a smooth surface. Do not use any flour or the dough will not stick to itself properly.
• Form the bagels: Form the bagels one at a time: First stick your thumb through the middle of a dough ball, then insert your index finger and gently start to stretch the hole.
• Roll the bagel in a circle around your index fingers to stretch the hole until 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. If the hole pulls back together, let rest 1 to 2 minutes, then reshape.
• Transfer the bagel to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough balls. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. The bagels will puff slightly.
• Cook the bagels: About 30 minutes before boiling, preheat the oven to 450˚ F and remove the bagels from the refrigerator. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a wide pot. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons malt syrup. Gently add 2 or 3 bagels, rounded-side down, and boil for 2 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and put back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bagels. It's OK if they deflate a bit as they cool but they should mostly keep their shape. (If they do deflate and wrinkle, they'll still be good - just a little flat.)
• Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with cornmeal. Brush the tops and sides of the bagels with the egg white and sprinkle with toppings. Place rounded-side up on the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake on the middle oven rack until the bagels are golden brown and crisp, rotating the pan halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

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.

REAL HOMEMADE BAGELS [71]

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.

HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• Tip the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar into a large bowl, and pour over 100ml warm water. Leave for 10 mins until the mixture becomes frothy.
• Pour 200ml warm water into the bowl, then stir in the salt and half the flour. Keep adding the remaining flour (you may not have to use it all) and mixing with your hands until you have a soft, but not sticky dough. Then knead for 10 mins until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put in a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1hr.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 10 pieces, each about 85g. Shape each piece into a flattish ball, then take a wooden spoon and use the handle to make a hole in the middle of each ball. Slip the spoon into the hole, then twirl the bagel around the spoon to make a hole about 3cm wide. Cover the bagel loosely with cling film while you shape the remaining dough.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and tip in the remaining sugar. Slip the bagels into the boiling water - no more than four at a time. Cook for 1-2 mins, turning over in the water until the bagels have puffed slightly and a skin has formed. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain away any excess water. Sprinkle over your choice of topping and place on a baking tray lined with parchment. Bake in the oven for 25 mins until browned and crisp - the bases should sound hollow when tapped. Leave to cool on a wire rack, then serve with your favourite filling.

HOMEMADE WATER BAGELS

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. You don't have to worry about soaking the yeast when you use instant yeast (most yeast sold these days is instant yeast). The dough should feel stiff, but add the extra water if it's really stiff, or you can't get all the dry flour incorporated. Plop the dough down onto the counter, and knead for about ten minutes, or until the dough is uniform and smooth. Cut the dough into 8 equal sized balls, and let rest for 10-20 minutes. Pre heat your oven to 425. Now, take each of the dough balls and using two hands, roll it into a little snake on the counter. When the snake is longer than the width of your two hands, wrap it around your dominant roiling hand. The dough rope should be wrapped so the overlapping ends are together at your palm, near the start of your fingers. Now take the two overlapping ends, and use your palm to squish/roll these two ends together. Once the dough is fused, you should have a perfectly circular bagel-to-be! This is the only part of the process that can take a little practice before your bagels will look really professional. Don't get discouraged if they don't look perfect, it just takes practice! Let your bagels rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, and meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil, and grease a large baking tray lightly. You can just rub a splash of vegetable oil and rub it around. After the 20 minute wait, your bagels will start to look puffy, and it's time to get them boiling! Add them as many at a time as you can to your boiling water without crowding them. Boil for about a minute, turn them over, and boil for another minute. Take them out a let dry for a minute and then place them on your oiled baking tray. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled. Add the tray to the oven, and after 10 minutes, flip the bagels over, bake for another ten minutes; and they're done!

MY HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• 1. Soften yeast in warm potato water. Beat eggs in a large bowl and blend in the yeast and remaining warm potato water, salt, sugar, oil, and 2 cups of flour. Stir in rest of flour to make a soft dough.
• 2. Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to make a firm dough. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn and cover. Let rise in a warm place until double. I usually place my dough in the oven as I have a pilot light. It's the perfect temp. to let yeast breads rise in and out of drafts.
• 3. Pinch the dough down and knead again for a few mintues on a lightly floured board until it is smooth. Roll into a retangle and cut into 32 equal pieces. Roll each piece between your hands to form a strand about 6 inches long and 3/4 inches in diameter. Moisten the ends and seal them together well. They should be donut shaped and uniform in size. Finish all the dough. Let the raise again on the board for about 15 minutes. If the ends come apart pinch them back together.
• 4. Dissolve sugar in about 2 quarts of boiling water. Drop carefully the raw bagels in the boiling water. one at a time. DO NOT CROWD THEM!!! As the bagels come to the surface turn them. Boil for 3 minutes on the second side. Remove the Bagels with a slotted spoon and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Baste with the egg wash. At this time is when you can sprinkle poppyseeds or any seasoning or seeds you like.
• 5. Bake in at 425* for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is a golden brown and crisp. Place on a cooling rack.
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• 7. TO MAKE RYE BAGELS. Substitue 3 cups of rye flour for 3 cups flout, increase salt to 2 Tbls and add 2 Tbls. of orange peel and 2 Tbls. Caraway seeds before baking.