This New York-style bagel recipe is easy to prepare and fun to make. You only need a few simple ingredients to enjoy delicious, fresh, chewy homemade bagels with tons of fillings and toppings every day.
Add the yeast, lukewarm water (105-115ºF/40-46ºC), and maple syrup to a bowl and mix until the yeast has dissolved completely. Set aside to activate for five minutes.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. This can take at least 10 minutes. If you find that the dough is a little dry, add a tiny bit more water.
Shape the dough into a large ball by folding over the edges to the underside, creating a smooth, round top.
Lightly oil the outside of the dough and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with some clingfilm (or a kitchen towel) and then set aside for it to rest for 1 hour in a warm area (such as inside your switched-off oven).
Shape the bagels
Once rested, the dough should have doubled in size. Deflate it with a light kneading for about 30 seconds
Divide the dough into 13 pieces - use a scale to weigh them. Each piece should be around 3.5 oz/100g (or whatever the weight of your dough is divided by 13).
Roll each piece into a ball and place them on a tray covered with a damp kitchen towel. Set the tray aside for 10-15 minutes to rest the dough once more.
Press a finger or thumb into the center of the ball to create a hole and spin it lightly. If you want a more pronounced hole, spin the bagel lightly around your finger/s to get a 1.5- to 2-inch hole.
Place the bagels back under the kitchen towel and leave for a further 10 minutes to rest.
Boil the bagels
While the bagels rest, add the water and cane sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, mixing well so the sugar is fully dissolved. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer.
Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, gently lower 2-3 bagels at a time into the simmering water. Poach for 20 seconds on each side. Repeat with the rest.
Place the poached bagels onto a prepared baking tray (lightly oil or cover with parchment paper), leaving at least an inch between them.
Bake the bagels
Preheat the oven to 475º/240ºC.
Brush the bagels with the egg wash and sprinkle with your topping of choice (everything bagel seasoning, seeds, parmesan, etc).
Bake in the oven at 475ºF/240ºC bake for 10 minutes. Then spin the tray so the front bagels are now at the back of the oven, and bake for a further 6-10 minutes until they are uniformly golden brown.Once ready, allow them to cool slightly, and then they are ready to enjoy!
Notes
Kneading: You can use an electric mixer with a dough hook or a food processor with a dough blade to knead the dough until it’s smooth. This will take around ten minutes.Traditional flavor: You can add a tablespoon of barley malt syrup to the dough. Reduce the water content slightly to make up for the extra liquid. You could also add this syrup to the poaching liquid instead of the cane sugar.Check the blog post for storage information!