Saturday, November 7, 2020

Homemade New York Style Bagels

 

2 t. active dry yeast (1 package)
1 ½ T. granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups warm water, divided
 (½ cup & ¾ cup).
(You may need additional warm water to make dough come together.)
3 ½ c. all purpose flour
1 ½ t. salt
oil for the bowl
1 egg white for egg wash 
(use a whole egg if  you like a darker bagel)

  1. In ½ cup of the warm water, pour in the sugar and yeast.  Do not stir.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, 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 about 1/3 cup of the remaining warm water into the well.  Mix and stir in the rest of the water as needed.  You may need additional warm water to make a moist firm dough.
  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.
  6.  Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel.
  7. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
  8. Punch the dough down and let rest for another 10 minutes.
  9. Divide the dough in to 8 pieces.
  10. Shape each piece into smooth round balls.
  11. Gently press your finger in to the center to form a ring.  Gently pull the dough to form a center roughly 1/3 the diameter of the bagel.
  12. Place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
  13. 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 the oven to 425°.
  14. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Reduce the heat and carefully lower the bagels into the water. I do 4 at a time.  Once the bagels are in the water, it shouldn't take long for them to float to the top ( a couple of seconds).  Let them sit there for 2 minutes and then flip them over to boil another 2 minutes.
  15. Once the bagels have boiled, transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
  16. Whisk your egg white and brush on the bagels.  This will give a shiny crust.  If you want to add toppings to your bagels, do so after the egg wash so they will stick nicely.
  17. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.