Bagels from Scratch

My favorite way to wow a group is to wow them with my homemade bagels. I can’t describe how many people have never tried a fresh bagel from the oven. It’s a real treat that will be unforgettable for anyone who gets to try them. It’s surprisingly easier than it sounds.

Items Needed

• Bench Scraper
• Food Scale
• Stand Mixer
• Parchment Paper

Do You Need a Stand Mixer?

The short answer is no. Stand mixers can be expensive especially if you don’t plan to be in the kitchen much. On the other hand, my kitchen aid was life changing. Kneading dough by hand is tough, but everyone who makes bread should do it at least once. This recipe contains honey, so if you are kneading it by hand, it’s very sticky. Trust the process and the dough will form after 5-7 minutes.

Ingredients

Dough

• 762 grams of Bread Flour
• 9 grams of Instant Yeast
• 18 grams of Salt
• 32 grams of Honey
• 475 grams of Lukewarm Water

Water Bath

• 2 tablespoons of Molasses
• 2 teaspoons of Baking Soda
• 8 cups of Water

Directions

• In a mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, instant yeast, salt, honey, and lukewarm water. Using a dough hook on your stand mixer, allow the bread to form for 5-7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead until the dough forms (should take 7-10 minutes).

• Once the dough is formed, cover it and allow it to rest for 1-2 hours. Usually, I put it in a bowl with the cover mostly over the whole bowl to allow some air in.
• After 1-2 hours, divide the dough into 10 pieces using a bench scraper. See below for any add-ins that can be done at this stage. Once divided roll the dough into balls and create a 1-inch hole in the middle. Let rest for 1 more hour.

• Bring the water, molasses, and baking soda to a boil. Turn down to medium heat. Boil each bagel 1 minute each side.

• After boiling, allow the bagels to dry for 5-10 minutes and then take the egg whites and wash each bagel.

• Add on any toppings (everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, cheddar & jalapeños, etc.)

What Toppings Can You Add?

• Everything bagel seasoning – This can be added after the egg wash. Make sure to season both sides that’s the norm for bagel shops.

• Chocolate chips – Add the chocolate chips when you’re forming the bagels. Fold the chocolate chips into the dough and form the balls. You can add chocolate chips on top if you’d like.

• Cinnamon Sugar – Combine a 4:1 ratio of brown sugar and cinnamon after the egg wash. Generously cover both sides of the bagels. You can also add this mixture into the dough when forming the bagels.

• Jalapeños Cheddar – After the egg wash, generously add shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the top of the bagels. Then, add a few jalapeños on top of the bagel.
• Whatever else you’d like!