Easy Overnight Bagels
Thick with the right amount of chew, these easy homemade bagels are simple to make from scratch.
Ingredients
- 250 g water lukewarm
- 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dried yeast
- 2 Tablespoons soft brown sugar or barley malt syrup
- 440 g bread flour with a protein level of at least 11%
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Poaching
- 2 liters water
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- Poppy seeds or sesame seeds for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir it together. Leave it to sit for 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast this waiting step can be skipped.
- Add the flour and salt and use a fork to combine everything into a rough dough. Switch to using your hands and push the dough together into a stiff, rough ball. Tip it into a clean bench.
- Knead the dough for around 10 minutes to develop the gluten. If you get tired, take a break and let the dough sit, then return to it after a few minutes.
- Once the dough is kneaded, place it in a greased bowl. For a same day bake, let it rise at room temperature until doubled (around 1-1.5 hours.)For an overnight option, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate it for 8 to 24 hours to slow ferment and build flavor.
Shaping the bagels
- Once risen, pull it from the bowl onto a clean bench. Cut the dough into 8 even pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Let the dough balls rest for 10 minutes.
- Using your thumbs, push a hole into the middle of the dough ball, then roll the dough ball around your fingers to widen the hole. Aim for a large hole as it will shrink back in size once it sits.
- Place the shaped bagels on parchment paper and let them rise for around 20-30 minutes until puffed. Don’t let them overproof. They should look slightly puffed and feel a bit lighter, but they should still hold their shape. If they get too soft or airy, they can collapse in the boil and bake up flat.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
Poaching
- Bring 2 liters of water to a boil and add in the sugar and baking soda. Keep the water at a rolling boil and drop in 2-3 bagels at a time. Poach each bagel for 1 minute (30 seconds on each side.)
- Use a slotted spatula to lift the bagels out and let them drain for a few seconds. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and sprinkle over any seeds for toppings whilst they are still sticky from the water.
Baking
- Place the poached bagels in the oven and let them bake for 20-22 minutes until deep golden brown. If they are baking unevenly or your oven has hot spots, turn the oven tray around after 15 minutes of baking.
- Remove the baked bagels from the oven and let them cool before slicing.
Notes
Flour - Bagels should have a decent amount of toothsome chew to them. Use flour with a protein level between 11-13%. This is bread flour but some all-purpose flours have a protein level of over 11%.
Storing - Baked bagels can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to three months. If you slice them before freezing, the sliced halves can easily be defrosted in the toaster.
Kneading - This dough is very low hydration. It makes a thick dough that is easy enough to work with as it won't stick to your hands, but it requires a little elbow grease to knead. It's a dough that is best worked by hand, as it can be a bit thick for some stand mixers. If you do choose to use a stand mixer, use a dough hook attachment at low speed.
Same-day bagels: If making same-day bagels, let the dough rise at room temperature for approximately 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size, then move on to shaping the bagels.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bagelCalories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 8gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 727mgPotassium: 83mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
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