Weekend Baking Project: Bagels
I have been making my own bagels at home for years. They are super easy and fun to make. If you have kids, get them in on the project, and they can learn a little about creativity, math and the science of baking at the same time. They will love shaping the bagels and later tasting the results of their fun project!
There are heaps of recipes out on the web and in cookbooks, and various thoughts on the best way to make authentic bagels. One of my favorites is King Arthur Flour’s recipe. I have made bagels with sourdough starter, with biga starter, and without starter at all. I will often start the dough on a Saturday morning and let it rise while I head out to the farmer’s market to pick up my groceries for the week. Upon returning the dough is sufficiently risen for shaping, boiling and baking. From start to finish this project only takes 1 1/2 – 2 hours and you’re enjoying a delicious homemade breakfast. If you use starter the project can be a bit longer.
Some recipes call for using baking soda in the boiling water, others recommend using barley malt syrup, malt powder, brown sugar, honey or rice syrup in the dough and the boiling water. You can also just use water salted with kosher salt and the bagels will turn out just fine. Using baking soda in the water helps the bagels plump up while boiling. Be careful as you add the baking soda, though, as the boiling water will boil vigorously and increase in volume immediately upon adding the baking soda to the water.
To shape the bagels, you can either roll the dough into balls and then poke a hole in the center with your finger then shape the dough evenly, or you can roll the dough out into a long tube and then wrap it around the palm on your hands and join the two ends by pinching together. I have more success using the first method. I have sometimes found the rolled lengths will not stay together and some of the bagels wind up separated at the joint. With either method this is a fun part of the project for the kiddos.
Once shaped you will drop the bagels into boiling water in batches, using caution not to overcrowd the pot, and boil for 1 minute, then turn the bagels over and boil one additional minute, then place on wire rack as you finish boiling the rest.
Once the bagels are all boiled you will dip or brush with egg wash and top with desired toppings. We love Everything Bagels, so that is what I make most often.
Everything Topping Mix
- 2 TBSP Poppy Seeds
- 2 TBSP Sesame Seeds
- 2 TBSP Onion Flakes
- 2 TBSP Garllic Flakes
- 2 TBSP Kosher Salt
Next you will place the bagels in a preheated oven to bake. I place mine on parchment paper sprinkled lightly with cornmeal, and bake according to instructions on the recipe, or until the interior of the bagels reach 195 degrees Farenheit. As yummy as they will smell when you take them out of the oven, as with all yeast breads, you will need to let them rest to cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before serving. Slather them with your favorite toppings and enjoy your fresh baked, homemade bageliciousness!
