Pictorial - How to Make Bagels

If you have never made bagels before you might want to give them a try. Making bagels sounds much more difficult than it really is. In fact if you follow the instructions in my Pictorial you will be eating bagels before you know it. Just be forewarned that they are addictive.

I try to keep some on hand in the freezer but they never last long.

Dough has risen and is ready to shape

Tip the dough on to a floured board

Cut the dough into three pieces . Don't worry if they are not exactly the same size, close is good enough

Working with one piece at a time
shape it into a log

Cut each log into 6 to 12 pieces. This will depend on whether you want small , medium or large size bagels. If you want mini bagels for appetizers than cut each log into 16 pieces

Work with one piece at a time and shape into a ball.

Pinch dough as you shape it into a ball. You want to develop a "Cloak of Gluten", like a skin, so that the dough holds its shape.

This is what the ball should look like. Now it is ready to shape

Poke a hole in the centre with your finger.

Now put your thumb through the hole and stretch, turning the dough.

The hole should be big enough to put your thumb and finger through. Turn/rotate the dough stretching as you turn.

Notice that the dough, even after shaped still has a tight cloak

Place each bagel as it is shaped on a floured board. Let rise for 20 minutes. While the bagels are rising, bring a large pot of water to boil and add a tablespoon of sugar. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Drop 3 or 4 bagels into the water and cook for 20 to 30 seconds per side. Remove and drain on paper towels or a tea towel. Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil or parchment, sprinkled with cornmeal.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with favourite topping; plain, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sea salt, onions, cheese, etc..

Ready for the oven

I bake one tray at a time. While one tray is in the oven, boil the next batch.

Fried onions and cheddar cheese

Plain and with fried onions and cheese

Full size bagels and a few mini bagels . Perfect to serve as an appetizer topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon

Poppy seeds

Bagels
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Source: Hors d'oeuvres Cook Book.

 I have typed it exactly how the recipe is printed in the book.
If you have a bread machine or kitchenaide by all means use it to do most of the kneading.
I always like to finish the kneading by hand. You can also make these in to normal size bagels.
I have been using this recipe since 1981. I have tried other recipes but this is my favourite one.

I also make a Sourdough version of this recipe.

2 cups warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
about 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
3 quarts water with 1 tablespoon of sugar
Cornmeal
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
about 2 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds.

.
Stir together water and yeast in large bowl of electric mixer; let
stand 5 minutes to soften yeast. Stir in the Sugar and Salt.  Gradually
mix in 4 cups of the flour and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. With
a spoon, stir in about 1 1/4 cups more flour to make a stiff dough.

turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth, elastic, and no
longer sticky, (about 15 minutes); add more flour as needed to prevent
sticking - dough should be firmer than for most other yeast breads.
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until
almost doubled ( about 40 minutes to 1 hour).

Punch dough down and divide into thirds. Set 2/3 of dough aside on a
floured board; cover with clear plastic. form remaining 1/3 dough in a
log and cut into 16 equal pieces.

to shape, knead each piece into small ball and poke thumbs through
centre. With one thumb in hole (hole should be at least 1/2 inch) work
fingers around perimeter, shaping ball into a small donut like shape
about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place bagels on a floured board or tray
and let stand 20 minutes.

Bring water-sugar mixture to a boil in a 4 to 5 quart pan; adjust heat
to keep it boiling gently. Lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle
with cornmeal. Lift bagels carefully and drop into water (about 6 at a
dtime) boil gently for 1 minute turning only once (30 seconds each
side). Lift out with slotted spoon and drain very briefly on paper
towels, and place on baking sheet. Brush with 1/3 of the egg yolk
glaze, sprinkle with seeds and bake in a 400° oven for 20 minutes or
until richly browned. cool on racks.

Repeat with remaining 2/3 dough (you may need to punch it down before
shaping,) working with 1/3 at a time. Makes 48 cocktail size bagels.

Sourdough Option

Make a biga using sourdough starter

2 ounces of starter

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup water

Mix together, cover and leave on the counter to develop overnight.

Add Biga to above recipe using only 1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast.

Reduce flour by 1 cup.

Notes:

Here is what I did to make Onion Cheese Bagels:


I sauted some onions in butter just until tender. Not brown.

After the dough had risen, I divided it into three parts. I took one of
the parts, flatten it out and topped with some of the onions and some
grated three year old white cheddar. Then I formed a log and divided it
into 6 parts. Then I just proceeded to make 6 bagels and let them rise
for about 20 minutes. After they were boiled I brushed them with the
oil that the onions were cooked in and then topped them with some of
the onions. The onions got a little more brown then I would have liked
so next time I would wait until half way through baking before adding
the onions. I sprinkled some grated cheddar on top about 5 minutes
before they were finished baking.

UPDATE to METRIC

Bagels
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Source: Hors d'oeuvres Cook Book. (1981)
Edited Jan. 2015
Using the hand mixed -- Autolyze, Stretch and Fold Method

1000g flour
560 g water
14g yeast
26g salt
40g honey
(or sugar)


3 quarts water with 1 tablespoon of sugar
Egg Glaze (egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
poppy or sesame seeds

Parchment Paper

Mix  flour, water and honey  in a dough pail.

Let rest (autolyze) for 30 minutes.
Mix the yeast with a tablespoon or two of water.  Add to the flour
mixture along with the salt.

Mix by pinching, stretching and folding.  Let rest
for 20  to 30 minutes (Autolyze).

In the next hour, stretch and fold three more times. After the
last fold, cover and set aside to rise. Dough should double.
Because of the amount of yeast it will double quickly.

Tip out on to floured board and divide into three pieces.  Working
with one third at a time, roll into log and cut into eight pieces
for full size bagels or up to 16 equal pieces for cocktail size
bagels.  To shape, knead each piece into small ball and poke
thumbs through centre. With one thumb in hole (hole should be at
least 1/2 inch) work fingers around perimeter, shaping ball into a small donut
like shape.. Place bagels on a floured board or tray and let stand 20
minutes.

Bring water-sugar mixture to a boil in a 4 to 5 quart pan; adjust
heat to keep it boiling gently. Line baking sheets with parchment
or lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.

 Lift bagels carefully and drop into water (about 4 to 6 at a time
depending on size) boil gently for 1 minute turning only once  (30
seconds each side). Lift out with slotted spoon and drain very briefly on paper towels,
and place on baking sheet. Brush with  egg yolk glaze, sprinkle with seeds and
bake in a 400° oven for 20 minutes or until richly browned. cool on racks