Easy Homemade Bagels!
- George Bishop
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
Bagels have got to be, hands down, the best form of bread man kind has ever invented!!
Invented in the 17th century, in the Jewish quarter of Krakow, originally taking inspiration from Obwarzanek Krakowski (Pastry from Krakow), as a loophole to the oppressive European law restricting Jews from baking bread. By boiling the bagels before baking them meant they weren't strictly a baked good, thus creating the chewy exterior we all know and love today!
Having visited in January of 2026, I can say getting bagels from the epicentre is no pilgrimage anyone in their right mind needs to embark on. It may have been invented there but we all know where it was perfected! The big concrete jungle where dreams are made of, still primarily within the strong NYC Jewish community. Over a million made every, single, day!
In the small English village where my mum and dad live, and where I fortunately got to call home for 2 decades, sells the New York Bakery Bagels in the local Co-Op. I swear every time I return home the price increases, and weirdly so does the hole in the middle, giving you less dough for your dough. When I say "return", I mean from the country I am also fortunate to consider a home, Cyprus. Where the price of bagels is not the issue, its the availability. No local supermarkets stock them, no high street bakery bakes them, not even the weird girl trying to sell bread on Facebook groups in between all the "Has anyone in the area got water" posts is trying to flog you them for 8 Euros a pop. Which is a shame, because as I hinted at before.... I Love Bagels.
So - I had to learn out of necessity , how to bake (or not bake if you are a 17th Century Jew), Bagels. Which probably saves me a good few euros a week, gives me something to do and of course something to post on this blog that I have neglected for many a year.
What Do You Need?
In terms of equipment, it couldn't be easier. A bowl, baking tray, baking paper, large diameter pot, and of course a functioning oven. If you have a breed mixer you can use that, speed things along especially if you are making more than 8 bagels at a time, but I get by just fine without one. I have one I am just too lazy to get it out, and kneading of bagel dough could well be the only exercise these little arms get on a regular basis.
Ingredients are as simple as they get when it comes to baking. Flour, obviously, strong white bread flour so far is the only one that has worked for me. Salt, sugar and yeast of course. Now either Bicarb of soda or Treacle, this is for the boiling aspect, which we will get to shortly.
Techniques and tips
Over the last couple weeks I baked 50 bagels and these are the tips I had slowly incorporated until I had the perfect one!
Bloom your yeast -
Blooming is the process of waking up your yeast prior to use. Involves adding the yeast to the liquid and sugar for 5-10 minutes before incorporating with the other dry ingredients. This has 2 benefits, first proves that the yeast is alive by producing a foamy layer on top of the liquid, and the second speeds up the action once you allow your dough to rise. If the yeast doesn't foam at all after 5-10 minutes then it is old and dead, DO NOT USE!
Do not rush the dough -
This is a tip I had learnt in my cheffing days but actually neglected the first time round making bagels. Its not secret that the less you rush something the better it is likely to turn out right? Its the same with dough, recipes always say to let it rise in a warm area, this does not yield the best results. Letting your dough rise in the fridge allows the flavours to develop and gives the dough a much stronger structure. Which believe me is what you need for bagels.
I let the initial rise happen at room temp - punch the air out, form balls then let rise in the fridge. Punch a hole in the middle, let it rise a last time again in the fridge. The colder the dough the easier it is to handle and prevents denting.
Boil in treacle -
Standard recipes nowadays call for bicarb of soda for the boiling process, which does give you a chewy texture but not alot of flavour! NNew york bakerys use a malt mixture which gives it a dark complex flavour on the crust, if you can get your hands on that then great, but failing that, you can use treacle. Gives a nice dark tone that gets layered with the egg wash on top to give a very nice finish.
1
Searing the Beef
Sear beef fillets on high heat for 2 minutes per side to form a golden crust. Let it cool before proceeding to keep the beef tender.
2
Mushroom Duxelles
Cook the mushrooms until all moisture evaporates to prevent soggy pastry. Aim for a thick, paste-like consistency.
3
Puff Pastry Handling
Keep the puff pastry cold to avoid softness. Chill if it becomes too soft, and score the top lightly without cutting through.
Notes
1
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Leave for 5–10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.
2
Add the flour and salt to a large mixing bowl, then create a well in the centre. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and gradually bring the flour in from the sides until a rough dough forms.
3
Knead the dough by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. This usually takes around 8–10 minutes.
4
Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside, turning it once to coat. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent the surface from drying out and leave to rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
5
Knock the air out of the dough and divide it into 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into a tight, smooth ball by cupping your hand over the dough and rolling it against the work surface until the top is taut.
6
Place the dough balls on a lined tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow them to slowly rise and develop flavour.
7
Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly flour your finger and press through the centre of each dough ball. Gently stretch and rotate the hole until it is roughly the size of a UK 2 pence coin.
8
Return the shaped bagels to the fridge for another hour. This allows the holes to settle into shape while giving the dough time to build more air.
9
Fill a large pot with enough water for the bagels to float comfortably (a depth slightly greater than the height of the bagels is ideal). Stir in the black treacle, whisk until dissolved, then bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
At the same time start pre-heating the oven to 220c, while preheating the oven, place a large empty baking tray on the bottom shelf.
10
Carefully lower the bagels into the simmering water, leaving plenty of space between them as they will expand. Poach for 1 minute on one side, then flip and poach for another minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on a wire rack.
11
As soon as you put the bagels into the oven, carefully pour a bowl of hot water into the hot tray to create steam. This helps produce a glossy crust and improves oven spring.
12
Brush each bagel with egg wash, add any toppings if using, then bake at 220°C for 20–25 minutes, or until deeply golden brown.
Instructions
1 Sachet/5g of dried yeast
300ml warm water
teaspoon of sugar
450g Strong Bread Flour
Salt (some)
For The Dough
1 tbsp Treacle
1 Egg
For Baking/Boiling
Homemade Bagels
George Bishop
Servings :
8 Bagels
Calories:
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cooking Time
2 minutes boiling - 20-25 minutes baking
Rest Time
3 hours
Total Time
4 Hours
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