Bagels
I've only recently begun to find bagels down here in South Africa. I remember a decade ago when I first landed in LA after a long stay in Australia. I bought a smoothie and a bagel and sat in a hotel room eating them and watching friends - all things I hadn't had for 6 months. I've been using this recipe on and off since!
I've only recently begun to find bagels down here in South Africa. I remember a decade ago when I first landed in LA after a long stay in Australia. I bought a smoothie and a bagel and sat in a hotel room eating them and watching friends - all things I hadn't had for 6 months. I've been using this recipe on and off since!
- Carbohydrate 95.740599371541 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.325128196573 g
- Fiber 4.03010704097941 g
- Protein 13.4890760714665 g
- Saturated Fat 0.209123864556725 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Bagel (93g)
- Sodium 4.19334996275 mg
- Sugar 91.7104923305616 g
- Trans Fat 0.429643609932415 g
- Calories 456 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt & yeast in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour & tip in half the milk. Stir it in gradually, then add more (you may not need all the milk) to make a non-sticky dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface & knead for a good 5-10 mins until the dough is smooth. Shape into a ball, score a cross in the top, cover with a cloth & allow to prove for about 20 mins.
- In the meantime, put a large pan of water on to boil & preheat the oven to 200C & grease a baking tray.
- Once the dough has risen a little bit, shape the dough into bagels. (The dough will rise up to double during cooking.)
- 1 or 2 at a time, submerge the bagels into the boiling water for about 30 seconds, remove, shake off excess water & cook all in the oven for about 20 mins.
Limited kitchen equipment presents no barrier to producing quality boiled bread at home, requiring only a mixing bowl, a wide pot, and a standard oven. Historically, the crucial distinction separating this style of bread from standard sandwich loaves lies in the boiling step, which gelatinizes the exterior starch before baking. Mastering this method requires strict adherence to timing and temperature controls.
- Knead the flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and salt mixture for a full 5 to 10 minutes until the surface feels completely smooth.
- Allow the shaped dough to prove for approximately 20 minutes under a damp cloth before processing.
- Maintain the oven temperature at 200°C for the final baking phase, lasting roughly 20 minutes.
- Submerge each shaped ring in rapidly boiling water for precisely 30 seconds per side to set the exterior crust properly.
Proper water immersion creates the characteristic chewy bite expected from authentic varieties. Skipping the boil yields a product resembling a standard dinner roll rather than a true bagel.
