So we are in quarantine like just about everyone else in the world. Since we now have all the time we could ever want to do any given project, I’ve turned everything into a project! Breakfast has turned into it’s own little event. I’ve been whipping up coconut crusted french toast, funfetti pancakes, brown sugar candied bacon, the list goes on.
I’ve been trying to avoid going into grocery stores altogether by having my groceries delivered. The problem here is so many items are out of stock. This includes bagels.
The other day it rained and we fired up the Disney Plus and I decided it was the day to attempt making bagels from scratch. I feel like basics such as bagels are the toughest to get right.
The ingredient list is quite simple (I had everything in my pantry already). I will say the process to make these are a bit time consuming but you have to trust me on this one -these bagels are worth it. They are New York style so they are chewier than the regular bread like consistency of some.
The original recipe (here) calls for bread flour. The protein in the bread flour makes the bagels chewier. My adaptation calls for plain old all purpose flour and are just as chewy. I just boiled them for two minutes rather than one and it changes the texture.
My recipe is for plain, but you can add any toppings you’d like! I love sesame bagels, you could use poppy seeds, add cinnamon to the dough, the possibilities are limitless. I’d actually really love to add pizza seasonings and top with a sprinkle of grated cheese OMG YES!
NY Style Bagels
yield 8 bagels
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 1 ½ tablespoons (4 ½ teaspoons) granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups warm water(you may need a little more depending on how the dough comes together)
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour(you may need extra for kneading)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- a little oil (whatever kind you like) for bowl
- 1 egg white for egg wash (use a whole egg if you like a darker bagel)
Directions
1. In ½ cup of the warm water, pour in the sugar and yeast. Do not stir. Let it sit for five minutes, and then stir the yeast and sugar 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 1/3 cup of the remaining warm water into the well. Mix and stir in the rest of the water as needed. Depending on where you live, you may need to add anywhere from a couple tablespoons to about ¼ cup of water. You want a moist and firm dough after you have mixed it.
4. On a floured work surface, knead the dough for about 7 minutes 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 or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
6. Carefully divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
7. Shape each piece into a round, making it as smooth as possible.
8. 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.
9. After shaping the dough rounds and placing them on the cookie sheet, cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425ºF.
10. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat. Carefully lower the bagels into the water. I boiled 4 at a time, but you can boil as many as you are comfortable with. Once the bagels are in, it shouldn’t take too long for them to float to the top (a couple seconds). Let them sit there for 2 minutes, and them flip them over to boil for another 2 minutes.
11. Once all the bagels have boiled, transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
12. Whisk your egg white and brush on the bagels. This will give them a shiny crust. If you want to add toppings to your bagels, do so after the egg wash so they will stick nicely.
13. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
FAQs
The Key to a Real New York Bagel
New York bagels get boiled prior to baking, defining their special texture in a solution of water and barley malt. A long boil and thicker crust inhibit rising, resulting in a dense interior while a short boil yields a crusty yet chewy bagel bite.
What makes New York-style bagels different? ›
A New York–style bagel is always boiled in water that has had barley malt added, which gives a bagel its signature taste, texture, and leathery skin.
What makes New York bagels so much better? ›
Much like a specific vineyard terroir is used to make a wine, certain minerals in New York City tap water are attributed to creating the best bagels. These include low concentrations of calcium and magnesium and a high level of sediment.
What makes New York-style bagels different from other types of bagels iReady? ›
The primary characteristic that makes New York-style bagels unique among other bagels is that they are boiled before they are baked. This distinctive preparation method gives New York style bagels their iconic chewy texture and slightly shiny surface.
What is the difference between a Montreal bagel and a New York bagel? ›
Montreal bagels tend to be smaller, thinner, sweeter and less salty than their New York City counterparts. Both are boiled, but Montreal employs wood-burning ovens for baking, while New York utilizes burlap planks. Many NYC loyalists tout the local tap water as the secret ingredient.
Does NYC water make bagels better? ›
But while New York's water does play a role in influencing bagel texture, the effect is actually pretty minor, according to the ACS video. Harder water toughens the gluten in the dough, while super soft water can make it goopy. What's far more critical is the boiling.
What is an authentic New York bagel? ›
A true New York Bagel has a shiny, thick, crisp (but not crunchy) crust and a dense chewy center with lots of flavor. It should be between 3″ and 3.5″ in diameter and about 1″ tall. Toroidal in shape with an irregular small hole in the center.
Do real New Yorkers toast their bagels? ›
Real New Yorkers don't toast their bagels!
What do New Yorkers call cream cheese on a bagel? ›
In American Jewish cuisine, a bagel and cream cheese is sometimes called a "whole schmear" or "whole schmeer". A "slab" is a bagel with a slab of cream cheese on top. A "lox and a schmear" is to a bagel with cream cheese and lox or “Nova” smoked salmon.
What do New Yorkers put on their bagels? ›
Toppings — Traditionally accepted toppings are limited to poppy, sesame, salt, onion, and everything. Modernists toppings can include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, other "seasonings." Water — Many believe New York City water is the secret to the city's bagels.
The production process, most importantly the proofing of yeast and the boiling of the bagels prior to baking them, is what better defines the texture and taste of signature New York bagels.
What is the most popular bagel in New York? ›
"If someone is coming to the city and they want to get a classic New York bagel, they're probably gonna go to Ess-a-bagel." Ess-a-bagel has four locations throughout the city: three in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn, which means visitors to the city will almost always find an Ess-a-bagel nearby.
Why does NYC tap water taste so good? ›
Our water contains ideal quantities of calcium and dissolved minerals, which causes a process called “the calcium-ion effect” to kick in and strengthen the wheat protein, producing the chewy texture New Yorkers had come to expect.
What makes a good New York bagel? ›
The Boiling Process
The process of boiling the dough is what gives the exterior of the bagel that great chewy texture, as well as what gives it that darker brown color. Some NYC bakers even add sweeteners such as lye or barley malt into the water before boiling the dough to give it a little extra something.
What is the best hydration for bagels? ›
The first step is to combine your ingredients to create the dough. Bagel dough is low hydration, meaning the water content is typically between 50-55% compared to the flour weight.
What is a Brooklyn style bagel? ›
Brooklyn Bagel's Plain Bagels are boiled then baked in authentic Brooklyn style, making them soft and chewy on the inside, but crunchy on the outside. Slice open, toast, and eat with butter or cream cheese. These bagels are also great to use for breakfast sandwiches.
What city has the best bagels in the world? ›
New York stands tall as the nation's bagel empire for the second year in a row. The Bagel Apple brings home the gold in bagel Popularity, with locals and tourists alike seeking out the city's most iconic breakfast food.
What is a St Louis style bagel? ›
Well, thanks to the St. Louis Bread Company (or Panera Bread), we have bagels sliced into several vertical pieces. They take the orthodox bagel and liberate it from its imprisoning “O” shape to become just oddly-shaped bread slices.
Why are NJ bagels the best? ›
These ingredients are mixed with Jersey water. Why is the water in New Jersey so important to the end product? Jersey has soft water that contains a low concentration of minerals. This allows for the perfect baking chemistry when mixed with the flour's high concentration of proteins.
Does Manhattan Bagel boil their bagels? ›
At Manhattan Bagel®, we wake up at 3am every morning to start your day with a smile and a full belly. Our NY-style bagels are boiled and baked fresh every day. We fire up our grills to bring you fresh-cracked eggs, sizzling bacon, and made-to-order sandwiches.
UNBLEACHED UNBROMATED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, BROWN SUGAR, MALT SYRUP, contains 2% or less of each of the following: SEA SALT, YEAST, RAISIN JUICE CONCENTRATE, MALT POWDER, MOLASSES POWDER, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEAT ...
What makes NY NJ bagels so good? ›
Secondly, and most importantly, New Jersey's water is the best suited for making bagels. NJ gets its water from the Catskill Mountains, which has very soft water, meaning it has low concentrations of calcium and magnesium. This soft water perfectly matches the high protein concentration of the bread flour.
What gives New York style bagels their color? ›
While the bagels are rising, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of malt syrup or barley malt. Malt syrup gives the bagels their characteristic golden color and slightly sweet flavor.
Do New York bagels taste different? ›
The Boiling Process
Many other bagel shops throughout the rest of the United States simply put the dough straight into the oven once its been rolled to save on time and money, but cutting out this extra step of boiling the dough is another big reason why non-NYC bagels don't taste nearly as good as NYC bagels do.
What do they put on bagels in New York? ›
A bagel is an iconic New York food. It's a round bread, with a hole in the middle, savory, crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It's topped with seasonings and traditionally filled with cream cheese and smoked fish. It's most known as a breakfast item but can be eaten at brunch or lunch time.
