Soft and chewy, these bagels taste like you just stopped at your local Jewish deli. SO good!Recipe adapted (barely) from King Arthur Flour (link here).
Toppings (optional; or other toppings of your choice):
sesame seeds
everything seasoning
Instructions
For Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all dough ingredients. Using the dough hook, mix ingredients until incorporated, then knead with the mixer for about 10 minutes. Dough will be stiff.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and set aside to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Dough may not double, but will be quite puffed.
Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats (see note). Turn the dough out onto a clean (NOT floured!) work surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (see note).
Work each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball and place them on the prepared baking sheets. The smoother the ball, the smoother the end result! Cover and allow dough to rest 30 minutes. Dough will puff slightly.
Preheat oven to 425F. While the dough is resting and oven is preheating, prepare the water bath.
For Water Bath:
Combine all water bath ingredients in a 4 quart or larger pot. Bring ingredients to a gentle boil.
For Shaping/Boiling:
After dough has rested, use your fingers to poke a hole in the center of each piece of dough, gently stretching the dough until the hole is 1-2 inches in size.
Transfer the bagels, 2-4 at a time, into the simmering water. Increase the heat as needed to keep the water at a simmer. Boil the bagels for 2 minutes on the first side, then flip them over and boil 1 more minute on the second side.
Using a spatula or slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the water bath and place on the lined baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
For Topping/Baking:
If you would like to add toppings, beat egg wash ingredients together until frothy. Brush the boiled bagels with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the toppings of your choice. This step is optional if you prefer to keep the bagels plain.
Bake the bagels 25-30 minutes, until they reach the desired depth of color. After removing from the oven, allow bagels to cool completely on a wire rack.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on silpats: I like to use silpats to line my pans because they're easy to clean and I can use them over and over again. If you'd like to get yourself some, you can find them [here].Note on dividing dough: A kitchen scale is useful for this step in the recipe, ensuring that your bagels are more uniform they would be if you just eyeball the size. More uniform bagels = a more even bake! If you're looking for a kitchen scale, you can find one [here].