New York Style Bagels

Why this recipe works Proper New York bagels have a fine, uniform crumb, a substantial chew, a complex sweetness (derived from the addition of malt syrup), and a thin, crackly crust. We wanted to be able to enjoy New York bagels anywhere. To get the right amount of chew, we turned to high-protein bread flour and supplemented it with vital wheat gluten. We also incorporated some gluten-strengthening shaping techniques: We rolled the dough, formed it into a rope, and twisted the rope before shaping it into a ring. Formed bagels are usually refrigerated for about a day to minimize the yeast’s gas production and create lots of flavor. It’s traditional to then boil them before baking to ‘wake up’ the yeast. This process also hydrates and cooks the starches on the bagel’s exterior to create the glossy, crisp crust. We spiked our boiling water with baking soda and sugar, which helped the bagels brown quickly. To build on that crust, we baked the bagels on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet that we then placed on a preheated baking stone. And we poured boiling water into the pan to create steam. This recipe works best with King Arthur bread flour, although other bread flours will work. Vital wheat gluten and malt syrup are available in most supermarkets in the baking and syrup aisles, respectively. If you cannot find malt syrup, substitute 4 teaspoons of molasses. We do not recommend mixing this dough by hand. The bagels are best eaten within a day of baking; fully cooled bagels can be transferred to zipper-lock bags and frozen for up to 1 month.

MAKES: 8

RISING TIME: 17 hours

RESTING TIME: 25 minutes

BAKING TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 19½ hours, plus 15 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: food processor, 2 rimmed baking sheets, rolling pin, baking stone, Dutch oven

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) ice water
• 2 tablespoons malt syrup
• 2⅔ cups (14⅔ ounces) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
• 4 teaspoons vital wheat gluten
• 2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup (1¼ ounces) cornmeal
• ¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk ice water and malt syrup in 2-cup liquid measuring cup until malt syrup has dissolved.
2. Pulse flour, wheat gluten, and yeast in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. With the processor running, slowly add the ice water mixture until the dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 20 seconds. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
3. Add salt to the dough and process until the dough forms a shaggy mass that clears the sides of the bowl (the dough may not form a single mass), 45 to 90 seconds, stopping the processor and redistributing the dough as needed.
4. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Divide the dough into quarters, cut each quarter in half (about 3½ ounces each), and cover loosely with greased plastic wrap.
5. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep the remaining pieces covered), form it into a rough ball by stretching the dough around your thumbs and pinching the edges together so that the top is smooth. Place the ball seam side down on a clean counter and, using your cupped hand, drag it in small circles until the dough feels taut and round. Let the dough balls rest on the counter, covered, for 15 minutes.
6. Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal. Coat one dough ball with flour and place it on a lightly floured counter. Press and roll it into a 5-inch round of even thickness. Roll the dough toward you into a tight cylinder.
7. Starting at the center of the cylinder and working toward the ends, gently and evenly roll and stretch the dough into an 8- to 9-inch-long rope. Do not taper the ends. Rolling the ends of the dough under your hands in opposite directions, twist the rope to form a tight spiral.
8. Without untwisting the spiral, wrap the rope around your fingers, overlapping the ends of the dough by about 2 inches under your palm to create a ring shape. Pinch the ends of the dough gently together.
9. With the overlap under your palm, press and roll the seam using a circular motion on the counter to fully seal. Transfer the ring to the prepared sheet and cover loosely with greased plastic.
10. Repeat steps 5 through 8 with the remaining dough balls and transfer them to the prepared sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart. Cover the bagels tightly with greased plastic, let them sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 16 or up to 24 hours.
11. One hour before baking, adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position, place the baking stone on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring 4 quarts of water, sugar, and baking soda to a boil in a Dutch oven. Set a wire rack in a second rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with vegetable oil spray. Transfer 4 bagels to the boiling water and cook for 20 seconds.
12. Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, flip the bagels over and cook for 20 seconds longer. Transfer the bagels to the prepared wire rack, with the cornmeal side facing down. Repeat with the remaining 4 bagels.
13. Place the sheet with the bagels on the preheated baking stone and pour ½ cup of boiling water into the bottom of the sheet. Bake until the tops of the bagels are beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a metal spatula, flip the bagels and continue to bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes longer. Remove the sheet from the oven and let the bagels cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

VARIATIONS:

TOPPED BAGELS 

• Place ½ cup poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, dehydrated onion flakes, dehydrated garlic flakes, or coarse sea salt in bowl. Press tops of just-boiled bagels (side without cornmeal) gently into topping and return to wire rack, topping side up.

EVERYTHING BAGELS 

• Combine 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes, 2 teaspoons dehydrated garlic flakes, 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, and ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt in bowl. Press tops of just-boiled bagels (side without cornmeal) gently into topping mixture and return to wire rack, topping side up.

CINNAMON RAISIN BAGELS 

• After transferring dough to counter in step 3, sprinkle ⅔ cup raisins over top and knead by hand until raisins are evenly distributed and dough forms smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Divide and shape dough into balls as directed. Combine 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in bowl. Before rolling dough rounds into cylinders in step 5, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon sugar-cinnamon mixture over each round, leaving ½-inch border around edges.