Bakery-Style Bagels
Homemade bagels with a distinctive crust and a soft center. Boiling them in water with baking soda gives them that bakery-style result - springy, slightly chewy, and perfect for sandwiches.
Prep time
30 min
Cook time
25 min
Total
55 min
Servings
10
Difficulty
Średni
Ingredients
Dough
- 770 gwheat flour type 650 or 00 (about 12% protein)
- 440 gwater
- 15 gfresh yeast
- 15 gsalt
- 15 ghoney
Boiling
- water
- 1 łyżkabaking soda
- 1 łyżkahoney or sugar (optional)
Toppings
- sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other seeds
Instructions
- 1
Pour water into a bowl, add the yeast and honey. Stir until dissolved.
- 2
Add the flour and salt. Knead the dough for about 10-12 minutes until smooth and firm.
- 3
Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- 4
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (about 120 g each).
- 5
Shape into balls, then poke a hole in the center and shape into bagels.
- 6
Place each bagel on a piece of parchment paper and cover with a kitchen towel.
- 7
Let rest for 20-40 minutes until slightly risen (they shouldn't double in size).
- 8
Bring water to a boil in a large pot, lower the heat and add the baking soda (slowly).
- 9
Lower the bagels in together with the parchment paper, then remove the paper after a few seconds.
- 10
Boil the bagels for 20-30 seconds on each side.
- 11
Remove the bagels, let them drain briefly and immediately coat them in the seeds.
- 12
Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- 13
Bake in an oven preheated to 220°C, top and bottom heat, for 20-25 minutes until golden.
- 14
After baking, set on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Tip
Don't skip boiling in the water with baking soda - that's exactly the step that gives the bagels their bakery-style crust and structure.
Common mistake
Letting the dough rise too long (e.g. 1-2 hours) makes the bagels turn out more like regular buns and lose their springy, slightly chewy structure.
Serving suggestion
Serve with cream cheese, salmon, vegetables, or as a base for sandwiches.
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