Go Back
6 finished "everything" bagels on cooling rack
Print Recipe

New York-style Bagels

An approximation of traditional New York-style bagels, using a cold pre-fermentation, a bulk fermentation in the refrigerator, boiling with malt & baking soda, and baking. Makes 6 large bagels; scale as needed.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time18 minutes
Sponge & Bulk Fermentation Time16 hours
Total Time17 hours 18 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Jewish, New York, Polish
Keyword: bagels, barley, malt, New York, wheat
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 200kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 baking stone or steel optional
  • 1 baking sheet
  • 2-4 parchment paper sheets
  • 1 proving bag optional

Ingredients

For the Sponge

  • 170 g Water, room temperature ¾ cup
  • 170 g Flour, high gluten content about 1½ cups
  • ¼ tsp Yeast can be instant or active dry

For the Dough

  • 170 g Water, room temperature ¾ cup
  • 400 g Flour, high gluten content about 2½ cups
  • ¾ tsp Yeast can be instant or active dry
  • 8 g Diastatic Malt Powder 2 tsp
  • 16 g Salt 2 tsp

For the Water Bath

  • 3 Quarts Water approximately
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 Tbsp Malt Syrup or Non-Diastatic Malt Powder
  • 2 Tbsp Baking Soda

Optional

  • Semolina Flour coarse ground, for dusting
  • Toppings enough to sprinkle over a sheet

Instructions

Make the "Poolish" Sponge

  • Combine yeast (¼ tsp) with water (170g) & flour (170g) in a container that's at least large enough for it to potentially double.
  • Lightly cover the container, not air-tight.
  • Let it sit at room temperature for about 8 hours.
    Bagel sponge in a container, after fermentation

Mix the Dough

  • Add remaining water (170g), flour (400g), & yeast (¾ tsp) to the sponge, in a larger container or bowl of stand mixer if necessary. (Again, there should be room for it to double, just in case.)
  • Stir briefly to incorporate yeast.
  • Add malt powder (8g) and salt (16g).
  • Combine all ingredients by hand or with a wooden spoon, dough whisk, or stand mixer.
  • Knead vigorously until the dough is uniformly tacky, but not wet or sticky.
  • Place dough ball in an air-tight container with enough room for doubling.
  • Refrigerate overnight.

Shape the Bagels

  • Remove dough from fridge and container.
  • Dust a sheet of parchment paper with semolina or other flour.
  • On a lightly floured work surface, cut dough into 6 even pieces.
  • Roll a piece of dough into a rope about 3 hand widths long. Wrap it around your hand so that the ends overlap in your palm. Press down firmly with your palm and rock back and forth to merge the ends together.
    Pressing down to seal the ends of the rolled bagel dough
  • Remove the shaped dough onto the dusted parchment paper.
  • Repeat with other dough pieces.
  • Cover the shaped dough on the parchment paper with plastic or a damp towel. Allow to rest for 15-30 minutes.

Boil & Bake

  • Pre-heat oven to 450° F, with a baking stone/steel inside if using.
  • Fill a pot with cold water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil.
  • In another container, prepare a bath of cold water and ice. (Optional, but recommended.)
  • OPTIONAL: Sprinkle toppings on a baking sheet, parchment sheet, or some other area.
  • OPTIONAL: Prepare an egg wash by whisking 1 egg white with a few drops of water.
  • "Float test" one bagel by placing it in water. If it floats, you are ready to boil them. If it doesn't, dust it with some flour and wait 5-10 more minutes. (Optional, but recommended.)
  • Once water comes to a boil, leave the heat on, and add malt syrup or non-diastatic malt powder (2 Tbsp). Gradually add baking soda (2 Tbsp). (Be prepared to stir down the foam with your spatula or "spider".)
  • Place the first 3 bagels in the boiling water bath. Let them boil for 30 seconds.
  • Flip the bagels over (using a spatula or "spider") and allow to boil for an additional 30-60 seconds.
  • Remove bagels to ice water bath.
    Bagels boiling while ice water bath is prepared
  • Repeat with remaining bagels.
  • Transfer bagels from ice water to a dusted parchment paper, or wherever your toppings are. (If you're using an egg wash, you'll want to brush that on the bagels first, then place them egg-side down on the toppings.)
  • Line baking surface with parchment paper.
  • Transfer bagels to baking surface, either topping-side down or semolina-side down.
  • Bake for about 8 minutes.
  • Flip bagels over with a spatula and bake for an additional 8 minutes.
  • Turn off the oven. As long as the bagels aren't burning, allow them to rest in the oven for a few more minutes with the door open.
  • Remove to a cooling rack.