Bagels

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 Yield

8 Large Bagels (120g)
See table below for other quantities

FEED

4-10 hours before PREP:
Mix 18g of sourdough with 36g of water 18g of bread flour and 18g of whole wheat flour (1:2:2). This will be enough for the recipe +20g.

Ingredients 

For the dough:
323g warm water (58%) (~98˚F/37˚C)

14g salt (2.5%)

67g peaked sourdough starter (12%) 

557g bread flour (100%)

For boiling / baking:
2 tbsp baking soda or baked baking soda*

1 egg, slightly whisked with a dash of water**

Toppings, such as everything seasoning, flaky salt, asiago cheese, sesame seeds, or jalapeño cheddar

PREP

16 hours before BAKE with 5 hours to make the dough, an 8 hour rest in the fridge, and 3 hours to shape and rest before baking.

Target dough temperature is 80˚F (27˚C).

Mix: Dissolve salt into water. Then add starter and stir until the water is milky in color. Then add the flour. Stir using a silicone spatula, switching to hand mixing if needed to ensure all the flour is incorporated. The mixture will be nowhere near smooth at this point. Just leave it to sit, and it will come together during the folding. Allow the dough to rest, covered with a damp towel or lid, somewhere warm for 1 hour. 

[Feed the remaining starter for future use. You won’t need any more for this recipe.]

Folds: After the hour, fold using a stretch & fold technique, stopping when the dough is smooth. Ensure the seam side is down and smooth side is up. Allow to rest in a bowl, covered with a damp towel or lid, somewhere warm, for 1 hour.

Tuck & Rotate: Lift the dough up, and hand stretch the top layer of the dough into a smooth ball by tucking the edges under a few times. Tuck and rotate slightly 4-6 times. Allow to rest, covered, somewhere warm, 1 hour.

Using the same tuck & and rotate technique again, fold the dough. Allow to rest, covered, somewhere warm, 2 hours. 

One last tuck & rotate, then move the dough to the fridge for at least 8 hours, up to 48 hours. 

Shaping: Remove dough from fridge and portion into 8 equal portions, ~120g each. Form each into a ball. Shape the cut edges into the middle of the dough while keeping the top smooth.  

Set each onto a lightly-floured marble board or similar surface. Allow to rest, covered with a damp towel, at least 30 minutes.

Flour the dough balls. Use a finger to poke a hole in the center of a dough ball, lift the ball from the board and stretch into a bagel. Set each onto a lightly-floured surface. 

Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest, 2-3 hours until puffy. If you kitchen is on the cooler side, rest them in a warm oven with a coffee mug of boiling water for 1-2 hours.

BAKE

Preheat oven to 450˚F (230˚C) .

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. I use a 12qt pot. Slowly sprinkle in 2 tbsp baked baking soda*. 

Using lightly wet hands, gently lift the bagels, one at a time, into the boiling water. Boil in batches for 1.5 minutes per side. After boiling, set the bagels on a wire rack. Brush with egg wash** and add toppings. 

Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden, rotating once. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing in.

*Baked baking soda gives the skin of the bagel a distinctive texture. To make, spread 250g of baking soda onto a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour at 250˚F (120˚C). This will turn the baking  soda in to a stronger base. Store in a labeled glass jar, out of reach of children.

** You can sub the egg wash with a honey wash (honey with just enough warm water to make it brush-able) or veganize with a mix of plant-based sweetener and plant-based milk.

Recipe Alt: Montreal Style

Use a honey wash instead of an egg wash and wood-fire in an Ooni at 575˚F (300˚C) for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes. 

Delicious topped with sesame seeds and served with cream cheese, honey, and fresh figs.

Alternative Yields6 Bagels10 Bagels12 Bagels24 Bagels%
Water (g)24240348496858%
Salt (g)101721423%
Sourdough (g)508310020012%
Bread Flour (g)4176968351670100%