Egg Bagels As seen on brown eyed baker Bookmark recipe Print recipe Download recipe Share Total Time 1 hr 10 mins Prep Time 1 hr Cook Time 10 mins Rating 4.54 out of 5 stars (49) Ingredients 12-24 bagels Sponge:1 teaspoon instant yeast (.11 ounce)4 cups unbleached high-gluten flour or bread flour (18 ounces, 500g)2 cups water, at room temperature (16 ounces, 500ml)Dough:½ teaspoon instant yeast (.055 ounce)3¾ cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour (17 ounces, 468.75g)8 egg yolks2¾ teaspoons salt (.7 ounce)2 teaspoons malt powder OR 1 Tablespoon dark or light malt syrup, honey, or brown sugar (.33 ounce)To Finish:1 Tablespoon baking sodaCornmeal or semolina flour for dustingPoppy seeds (optional) Calories How would you rate this recipe? 1 stars 2 stars 3 stars 4 stars 5 stars Preparation Inline ingredients (beta) Cook mode Click to complete Step 1 1. To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the water, whisking or stirring only until all of the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, until the mixture becomes very foamy and bubbly. Step 2 2. To make the dough, in the same mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), add the additional yeast to the sponge and stir. Then add 3 cups of the flour, the egg yolks, and all of the salt and malt. Stir (or mix on low speed with the dough hook) until the ingredients form a ball, working in the remaining ¾ cup flour to stiffen the dough. Step 3 3. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for at least 10 minutes (or for 6 minutes by machine). The dough should be firm, stiffer than French bread dough, but still pliable and smooth. Step 4 4. Immediately divide the dough into 4½-ounce pieces for standard bagels, or smaller if desired. Form the pieces into rolls. Step 5 5. Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for approximately 20 minutes. Step 6 6. Line 2 sheet pans with baking parchment and mist lightly with spray oil. Shape the bagels using one of the following methods: Step 7 6a. Poke a hole in a ball of bagel dough and gently rotate your thumb around the inside of the hole to widen it to approximately 2½ inches in diameter. Step 8 6b. Roll out the dough into an 8-inch-long rope, wrap it around the palm and back of your hand, overlapping the ends by several inches, and press the overlapping ends on the counter with the palm of your hand to seal. Step 9 7. Place each of the shaped pieces 2 inches apart on the pans. Mist the bagels very lightly with the spray oil and slip each pan into a food-grade plastic bag, or cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the pans sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Step 10 8. Check if the bagels are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator by using the "float test". If they float within 10 seconds, they are ready. If not, continue to proof the dough at room temperature until they do. Step 11 9. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Gently drop the bagels into the water, boiling only as many as comfortably fit. Boil for 1 minute on each side for a softer bagel, or 2 minutes for a chewier texture. Step 12 10. Sprinkle the same parchment-lined sheet pans with cornmeal or semolina flour. Place the boiled bagels on the pans, topping as desired. Step 13 11. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, then rotate the pans, switching shelves and rotating 180 degrees. Lower the oven setting to 450°F and continue baking for about 5 minutes or until the bagels turn light golden brown. Step 14 12. Remove the pans from the oven and let the bagels cool on a rack for 15 minutes or longer before serving. Chef’s notes Egg bagels topped with poppy seeds are traditional Jewish fare.The cinnamon raisin bagels remain a favorite for flavor, while these egg bagels excel in texture and traditional taste.
