New York Bagels

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Our bagels are as good as those found in the best New York bagel bakeries. They’re chewy yet tender, with a fine crumb, and they have a crisp, glossy, evenly browned exterior and a complex, slightly malty flavor. To get the right amount of chew, we use high-protein bread flour, supplemented with vital wheat gluten, along with a minimum amount of water. To further increase the chew, we incorporate a number of gluten-strengthening shaping techniques: rolling with a rolling pin, forming the dough into a rope, and twisting the dough around itself before shaping it into a ring. And to ensure even, rapid browning, we add baking soda to the boiling water. To create a crisp crust, we bake the bagels on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, with boiling water poured onto the pan to create steam.

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Ingredients

  • Everything topping:
  • 1 1 2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water (9 ounces)
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons malt syrup
  • 2 2/3 2 2/3 2/3 cups (14 2/3 ounces) bread flour
  • 4 4 4 teaspoons vital wheat gluten
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) cornmeal
  • 1/4 1/4 3/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon onion flakes
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons garlic flakes
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation

Step 1


Makes 8 bagels

This recipe requires refrigerating the shaped bagels for 16 to 24 hours before baking them. This recipe works best with King Arthur bread flour, although other bread flours will work. Vital wheat gluten and malt syrup are available in most supermarkets in the baking and syrup aisles, respectively. If you cannot find malt syrup, substitute 4 teaspoons of molasses. The bagels are best eaten within a day of baking; fully cooled bagels can be transferred to heavy-duty zipper-lock bags and frozen for up to one month.

1.Stir ice water and malt syrup together until malt syrup has fully dissolved. (We used 8 ounces here instead of 9 because of weather in TX. I'd recommend starting with 8 ounces and if dough appears dry in the food processor add the other ounce) In a food processor, process flour, wheat gluten and yeast until combined. With processor running, slowly add ice water mixture and continue to process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains. Let dough stand for 10 minutes once complete.

2.Add salt to dough and process until dough forms shaggy mass that clears the sides of work bowl, about 60-90 seconds. Transfer dough to unfloured counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

3.Working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping remaining pieces covered, form dough pieces into smooth round balls. Let dough balls rest on counter, covered, for 15 minutes.

4.Sprinkle rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal. Working with one dough ball at a time, coat dough balls lightly with flour, and then, using your hands and rolling pin, pat and roll dough balls into 5 inch rounds. Starting with edge of dough farthest from you, roll into tight cylinder. Starting at center of cylinder and working towards ends, gently and evenly roll and stretch dough into 8-9 inch long ropes. Rolling end of dough under your hands in opposite directions, twist rope to form tight spiral. Without unrolling spiral, wrap rope around your fingers, overlapping ends of dough by about 2 inches under your palm to create ring shape. Pinch ends of dough gently together. With overlap under your palm, press and roll seam using circular motion on counter to fully seal. Transfer rings to prepared sheet and cover loosely with plastic leaving at least one inch between bagels. Let bagels stand at room temperature for one hour. Cover sheet tightly with plastic and refrigerate for 16-24 hours.

5.One hour before baking, place baking stone on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.

6.Bring 4 quarts water, sugar and baking soda to boil in large Dutch oven. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and spray rack with vegetable oil spray.

7.Transfer 4 bagels to boiling water and cook for 20 seconds. Using wire skimmer, flip bagels over and cook 20 seconds longer. Using wire skimmer, transfer bagels to prepared wire rack, with cornmeal side facing down. At this time, dip your bagels into the toppings of your choice. Repeat with remaining four bagels.

8.Place sheet with bagels on preheated baking stone and pour 1/2 cup boiling water into bottom of sheet. Bake until tops of bagels are beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes. Using metal spatula, flip bagels and continue to bake until golden brown, 10-12 more minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let bagels cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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