Bagels differ from other breads in one way: they are boiled in water before they go in the oven. That gives the shiny crust and the chewy crumb. It sounds like a lot of work, but the whole job takes about two hours.
Black Month pack What you need
The recipe makes 8 bagels.
- 500 g plain flour
- 7 g dried yeast
- 10 g salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 275 ml lukewarm water
- Sesame seeds or poppy seeds to top
For the boiling water, put 1 tbsp honey in a wide pan of water.
How to make it
- Mix the flour, yeast and salt, and add the honey and water.
- Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is firm and smooth.
- Cover, and let the dough rise for about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and shape them into tight balls.
- Push your thumb through the middle, and widen the hole to about 4 cm.
- Let the rings rest for 20 minutes on baking paper, and heat the oven to 220 °C in the meantime.
- Bring the water and honey to the boil.
- Boil two to three rings at a time for 1 minute on each side.
- Put them on a tray with baking paper, and sprinkle with seeds while they are wet.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Fillings and flavours
- Classic: Cream cheese and smoked salmon.
- For breakfast: Egg and bacon, or cheese and ham.
- Sweet: Stir 1 tsp cinnamon and 75 g raisins into the dough.
How to store bagels
Bagels dry out fast when left out, so wrap them once they are cold. Gather them in the bread bag, close it with the clip and keep the bag in the fridge. If you have baked a lot, cut them in two and freeze them. Then they go straight into the toaster.
Bivoks™ bread bag299 NOKCotton and linen with beeswax on the inside. Measures 30.5 × 43 cm, closes with a clip and can go in the freezer.
Frequently asked questions
Do bagels have to be boiled?
Yes. Without boiling you get an ordinary roll with a hole. The boiling is what gives the crust and the chewy crumb.
Why is there honey in the water?
The honey gives the crust colour and a little shine.
Can the dough stay overnight?
Yes. Use only 2 g dried yeast, put the shaped rings in the fridge and boil them the next morning. That gives more flavour.
Can bagels be frozen?
Yes. Cut them first, and toast them straight from the freezer.
Want to bake more for breakfast? See wholemeal rolls.
The weekend's bagels for the week's breakfasts
The Bivoks™ bread bag holds the whole bake, and it goes in both the fridge and the freezer.
See the bread bag →- 365-day guarantee
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- Closes with a clip
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- Reusable for 12+ months