Easy Homemade New York Style Bagels Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE NEW YORK-STYLE BAGELS

Steps:

• Add the water, honey and yeast to a liquid measuring cup and set aside for the yeast to begin to grow (about 5 minutes).
• Measure the flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk together.
• Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix together well with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until a rough dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead for about 10-15 turns until the dough forms a ball and isn't too sticky.
• Add the dough ball back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap, letting it rise for about 60-90 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
• Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto your work surface (flour the work surface a little bit, but this dough is a bit on the dry side to don't add too much flour!)
• Add the water and honey to a pot and let it come to a low boil, turning the heat to medium after it boils to maintain a very gentle boil.
• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
• As you wait for the water to boil, divide the dough into 12 pieces (as evenly sized as possible). Roll each piece into a ball with a smooth surface.
• To form a bagel shape, press your middle and ring finger (together) into the centre of one ball to make a hole right through the middle. Move your fingers gently in a circular motion to make the hole a little bit bigger.
• Then, holding the bagel with your thumbs inside the hole, pick it up off the work surface and stretch it gently to make the hole bigger. The goal is to make the hole a little bigger than you actually want it, as the dough will shrink back slightly during baking.
• Let the bagels you've formed sit on the work surface for about 5 minutes before gently lowering them into the boiling honey water 1 or 2 at a time.
• Let the bagels boil for about 1 and a half to 2 minutes per side. Don't skip this step! This is what gives bagels their chewy texture and perfect crust and baking them without boiling will not give you the same result.
• After boiling, place the bagels on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (6 bagels per large baking sheet).
• Whisk the egg and water together and brush the mixture lightly over the tops of the bagels.
• Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let the bagels cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy with some cream cheese, toasted, or however you like!

THE REAL NEW YORK BAGEL RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium/large bowl or pot, stir the sponge together with a whisk or wooden spoon. Make sure to get all dry materials mixed in well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for 2+ hours.
• After sponge is bubbly with small holes at the top and about 2 hours have gone by, pour sponge into your mixing bowl.
• Attach dough hook. Then add all ingredients listed for dough. Flour can be added gradually as mixer is going.
• Knead with dough hook for approximately 10 minutes or until dough looks smooth and is not too sticky. Dough should be quite stiff (add more flour if needed).
• Turn out on counter and knead by hand for a few minutes. (More if your mixer couldn't handle the kneading for very long). Make sure dough does not stick to fingers to get to proper consistency.
• Divide dough with a knife into 12 equal pieces about 4.5 oz. each. make into "balls". Cover to rest with plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
• Shape each ball into a bagel by pushing your thumb(s) through the middle.
• then using your two index fingers in the hole, make fast circular motions, stretching the hole out a bit. Don't worry if they are not perfect.
• Place bagels on sheet pans or cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray oil. Leave an inch or so on all sides.
• Let rise under plastic wrap for 20 minutes then place in refrigerator.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
• Pull pans from fridge, get a large pot (4 quarts) of water on the boil and preheat the oven to 500 deg. F. move racks to the top of the oven.
• Add 1 T. baking soda to water (this increases the color depth and flavor of the bagel while baking).
• When water is boiling, pull 2-3 bagels at a time gently and place them upside down in the water.
• Boil for 30 seconds then flip over with a large slotted spoon or similar and repeat for other side. (if perchance your bagels have had time to warm up from the fridge the boiling time decreases--if your bagels are coming out of the boiling water looking too flat, decrease the boiling time on each side but always go a minimum of 15 seconds per side).
• Remove each bagel with spoon and slide off on to a large clean cotton cloth (flour sack type material not terry cloth) for draining.
• Repeat with all other bagels.
• Place parchment paper in your sheet pans or cookie sheets.
• Spread corn meal evenly and lightly on parchment paper.
• Place moist, warm bagels gently on corn meal. You can place them touching one another. Sometimes we like our bagels plain with no toppings, if you do, skip the next couple steps --.
• Make an egg wash with 1 egg mixed with approx 1/2 cup of water and when well-mixed, brush across tops of bagels. If you don't like a slightly eggy taste, you could brush with just egg whites mixed with a bit of water. This will help hold topping on.
• Sprinkle with desired toppings (I like toasted sesame seeds and poppy seeds the best, but this could include a dizzying number of different toppings-whatever you like).
• Turn oven down to 450 deg F. as you place pan(s) in oven.
• Bake for 5-7 minutes then turn pan around and switch pans on racks as necessary.
• Bake for another 5-10 minutes turning as necessary and repeat this until all bagels are evenly deep golden brown. Total cooking time will be 20-25 minutes until all are evenly deep golden.
• Remove from oven, let cool on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for at least 15 minutes (ok, 5 minutes!) before devouring.