Peter Reinhart’s Bagels As seen on Smitten Kitchen Bookmark recipe Print recipe Download recipe Share Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars (150) Ingredients 12-24 bagels 1 teaspoon instant yeast (for sponge)4 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour (for sponge)2 1/2 cups water, room temperature (for sponge)1/2 teaspoon instant yeast (for dough)3 3/4 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour (for dough)2 3/4 teaspoons salt2 teaspoons malt powder or 1 tablespoon dark or light malt syrup, honey, or brown sugar1 tablespoon baking soda (to finish)Cornmeal or semolina flour for dustingSesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt, rehydrated dried minced garlic or onions, or chopped onions tossed in oil (optional) Calories AmericanBakingDairyBreakfastIntermediateQuick and EasyLunchBoilingBrunchGrainsSavoryCrispySnacksBreads ... 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 Day one: To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the water, whisking or stirring only until it forms a smooth, sticky batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the mixture becomes very foamy and bubbly. It should swell to nearly double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop. Step 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 and all of the salt and malt. Stir (or mix on low speed with the dough hook) until the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining 3/4 cup flour to stiffen the dough. Step 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 Immediately divide the dough into 4 1/2 ounce pieces for standard bagels, or smaller if desired. Form the pieces into rolls. Step 5 Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for approximately 20 minutes. Step 6 Line 2 sheet pans with baking parchment and mist lightly with spray oil. Proceed with one of the following shaping methods: 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 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place each of the shaped pieces 2 inches apart on the pans. Step 7 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 8 Check to see if the bagels are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator by using the “float test”. Fill a small bowl with cool or room-temperature water. The bagels are ready to be retarded when they float within 10 seconds of being dropped into the water. If it floats, immediately return the tester bagel to the pan, pat it dry, cover the pan, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Step 9 The following day, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Remove the bagels from the refrigerator and gently drop them into the water, boiling only as many as comfortably fit. After 1 minute flip them over and boil for another minute. Step 10 When all the bagels have been boiled, place the pans on the 2 middle shelves in the oven. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, then rotate the pans, switching shelves and giving the pans a 180-degree rotation. After the rotation, lower the oven setting to 450 degrees F and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until the bagels turn light golden brown. Step 11 Remove the pans from the oven and let the bagels cool on a rack for 15 minutes or longer before serving. Chef’s notes Barley malt powder or syrup is suggested for the authentic bagel flavor but can be replaced with honey or brown sugar.High gluten flour is preferred for achieving the right texture, but bread flour can be used if necessary.An egg wash can be used to help toppings stick to the bagels after boiling and before baking.
