Yulia Loginova

New York Style Bagels

According to popular mythology, the uniquely superb texture of the New York bagel has to do with New York City’s water. Fortunately, it’s been repeatedly scientifically disproven, so we’re all able to make the perfect New York style bagel. The key step to making a “true bagel” — boiling.

  • Ingredients:

    • 300-320 ml warm water
    • 10 g instant dried yeast
    • 500g flour (it works perfectly with all-purpose flour for me, but bread flour is the best option)
    • 23g white sugar
    • 5 g salt

    Egg wash:

    • 1 egg yolk
    • 1 tablespoon of water

    Topping options:

    • Sesame seeds
    • Pumpkin seeds (okay, that’s not so popular, but definitely my favourite)
    • Poppy seeds
    • Everything Bagel: 1 tablespoon dried garlic flakes, 1.5 tablespoons dried onion flakes, 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1/4 tablespoon salt

Recipe:

  1. Whisk warm water (not hot, just a little bit warm, 40°C), yeast, and sugar in a bowl (I use a stand mixer, so just put it in a bowl), leave for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Add the flour and salt. Beat on low speed for several minutes. The dough is very stiff and will look somewhat dry.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 4-5 minutes. The dough might be too heavy for the mixer to knead it.
  4. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil, place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size (I’m impatient, so I typically turn my own on, set the temperature to about 35°C and put the bowl there, it takes less than 30 minutes to double in size).

5. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

6. Shape the bagels: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. (I use a kitchen scale as when I eyeball it – they seem to vary in size significantly) Shape each piece into a ball. Cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel and rest for 10 minutes.

7. Press your index finger through the centre of each ball to make a hole about 1.5 – 2 inches in diameter. Preheat oven to 220°C.

8. Boil: Fill a wide pot with water. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Drop bagels in, 2-3 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side.

9. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top and around the sides of each bagel. Place 4 bagels onto each lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.