AuthorSteve Nubie
If you’ve never made bagels before you may be surprised to learn that one of the steps before baking is boiling.
That’s right. Boiling. After the bagels are shaped and have risen they’re dropped into boiling water for a minute or two before going into the oven. This boiling step is what gives bagels their glazed sheen and chewiness. But as curious as it sounds the boiling step is actually pretty easy. The hard part is kneading the dough because some bagel recipes result in a dough that tends to be a bit heavier than regular bread dough. That’s where our bread machines help make the process easier. By the way, we’ll be using the bread machine dough-cycle for our bagel recipes and finish baking them in the oven. These bagels also happen to be gluten free using a gluten free all-purpose flour.
The bagel is believed to have originated in Poland in the 16th century. The hole in the center helps with the baking process, and a string or a wooden dowel was sometimes inserted into a bunch of bagels to make them easier to transport and display in bakery windows. The traditional bagel is plain and both sesame seeds and onion flakes are customary toppings.
There are two critical components to this bagel recipe. One is the use of a gluten free all-purpose flour. The other is the addition of a sweetener like sugar, honey or malt syrup to the boiling water. These ingredients are sometimes added to the boiling water as well but that’s more of a grace-note rather than a necessary step. The addition of a sweet ingredient to the water makes the bagels a bit more chewy. Leavening is accomplished with yeast. The rising times vary from 20 to 30 minutes up to 12 hours.
We’re going to explore three bagel varieties: plain, sesame and onion. Once you understand the basics of these three approaches you can improvise with other types of toppings or fruits.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside. In a medium-sized, covered saucepan, bring the water bath (6 cups of water, 1 tablespoon molasses and 1 teaspoon kosher salt,) to a boil over medium-high heat.
Make the dough. In the bread machine pan place the bread flour, yeast and granulated sugar, and use select the basic dough setting. Add the salt and the water and butter, and let continue to knead. The dough is a smooth, enriched dough, but it is very thick. Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the pan. Let rise during the customary rising cycle.
Shape the rolls. Remove the dough from the bread pan and transfer it to a surface lightly sprinkled with bread flour. Sprinkle the dough very lightly with more flour and turn it over on itself a few times until the dough is smoother. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape the pieces into rounds of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart from one another. Place a floured finger in the center of each round of dough, press down to the bottom and move around in a circular motion to create a hole that is at least 1 1/2-inches wide.
Boil the bagels. Place as many of the raw, shaped bagels in the boiling water bath as can fit without crowding and boil them for about 45 seconds total, turning the bagels over gently to ensure even boiling. Remove the boiled bagels from the water bath and return to the baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides with the egg wash and either sprinkle or dip into the sesame seeds or onion flakes if using.
Bake. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the bagels are golden brown all over and the internal temperature reaches about 180°F (18 to 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly before serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside. In a medium-sized, covered saucepan, bring the water bath (6 cups of water, 1 tablespoon molasses and 1 teaspoon kosher salt,) to a boil over medium-high heat.
Make the dough. In the bread machine pan place the bread flour, yeast and granulated sugar, and use select the basic dough setting. Add the salt and the water and butter, and let continue to knead. The dough is a smooth, enriched dough, but it is very thick. Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the pan. Let rise during the customary rising cycle.
Shape the rolls. Remove the dough from the bread pan and transfer it to a surface lightly sprinkled with bread flour. Sprinkle the dough very lightly with more flour and turn it over on itself a few times until the dough is smoother. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape the pieces into rounds of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart from one another. Place a floured finger in the center of each round of dough, press down to the bottom and move around in a circular motion to create a hole that is at least 1 1/2-inches wide.
Boil the bagels. Place as many of the raw, shaped bagels in the boiling water bath as can fit without crowding and boil them for about 45 seconds total, turning the bagels over gently to ensure even boiling. Remove the boiled bagels from the water bath and return to the baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides with the egg wash and either sprinkle or dip into the sesame seeds or onion flakes if using.
Bake. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the bagels are golden brown all over and the internal temperature reaches about 180°F (18 to 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly before serving.
Gluten free is always a challenge because the flours never rise like a traditional flour. Traditional bagels are made with high-gluten flours.
I’d be totally ashamed to show a photo of these awful looking things. They have fallen. My GF bagels look professional. I think you should find another recipe. Sorry, but I am Jewish and know bagels!!