Hello and Happy New Year!
Whether you are a novice sourdough bread maker like me, or if your hands are seasoned with years of experience, this made-from-scratch sourdough bagel recipe will be a treat for you and your family. Trust me.
There is a massive ice storm sweeping across the nation right now and it has definitely made its way down south. Here in Louisiana, we have no idea how to act when temperatures drop below freezing. Everything closes up shop. No school, no offices, no driving. You could liken us to Californians when it rains.
All that’s to say, when it’s too frigid outside, the kitchen is a perfect place to go and bake something delicious.
Sourdough Bagels, anyone?
I will admit, I did not create this recipe. It’s adapted from the book “Artisan Sourdough Made Simple” by Emilie Raffa. I absolutely love this cookbook. There are so many different sourdough recipes to try. If you are looking for a Sourdough book, I highly recommend hers. Especially if you are a beginner.
Step 1: Feed Your Sourdough Starter
For this recipe, you will need an active sourdough starter. If you do not have one, you can either make one from scratch (which takes weeks) or find someone who already has a starter going and take a piece of theirs. I chose the latter when I started baking with sourdough. After trying and trying to start my own, I threw my hands up in frustration and begged my mom to give me some of hers. She willingly obliged and I’ve been using it ever since. (Thanks mom!)
Feed your sourdough starter in the morning so that it can rise and become bubbly for when you mix the dough that evening.
Step 2: Mix Dough
In the evening, combine in a large bowl the sourdough starter, warm water, and organic whole cane sugar. Then add in your flour and salt. Continue mixing until shaggy dough forms. I like to use my hands to combine as well so that I can get rid of any flour pockets.
Step 3: Bulk Rise
Cover the dough bowl with a damp towel and let rise overnight for 8-10 hours.
Step 4: Cut Dough and Shape
Flatten the dough on a non-floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Slice the dough into 8 even pieces.
Pinch the ends of each piece together, flip over, and roll into a ball. Place each ball onto a greased parchment paper lined sheet pan. Cover the balls with a damp towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Continue Shaping
After the dough rests for 15 minutes, poke a hole in the center of each ball using your thumb and forefinger. Continue to turn and stretch the hole of the dough until it reaches about 2 inches in diameter. The hole shrinks a little after cooking.
Step 6: Boil in water
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the honey and stir until combined. Once boiling, add 2 or 3 bagels at a time to the water. They will float to the surface when they are ready. As soon as they float (which takes about 1-2 minutes) remove them with a slotted spoon back to the lined baking sheet.
You can dip the wet bagels into a send blend or an everything bagel seasoning at this point. I chose to them leave plain.
Step 7: Bake
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn bagels over and continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Let them cool on a wire rack. (or eat them hot from the oven)
Enjoy
Enjoy with butter, honey, cream cheese, peanut butter. The toppings are endless and not to mention, absolutely delicious.
My husband loves bagels. Needless to say, they did not last long before he devoured them all.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Till next time.
Homemade Sourdough Bagels
Equipment
- 1 large pot for boiling bagels
- 1 baking scale for measuring ingredients
- 1 sheet pan for baking bagels
Ingredients
- 150 grams Sourdough Starter active and bubbly
- 250 grams Water warm
- 24 grams organic whole cane sugar
- 500 grams bread flour
- 9 grams sea salt
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine starter, water, and sugar. Once mixed, add in the flour and salt. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms. It is helpful to use your hands to get out any flour pockets.
- Next, cover the dough bowl with a damp towel and let it rise overnight for 8-10 hours.
- In the morning, flatten the dough on NON-floured surface into the shape of a rectangle and slice into 8 even pieces. Pinch the ends of each piece together, flip, and roll into a ball. Once you have all 8 balls, line them up on a greased parchment paper lined sheet pan. Cover with damp towel and rest for 15 minutes.
- Then, pinch a hole in the center of each piece by using your thumb and forefinger. Gradually widen this whole by turning the dough in a circle in your hands. You want the hole in the center of the dough to be around 2 inches diameter.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add honey to water and stir. Meanwhile preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Once boiling, add each piece of bagel dough (2 or 3 at a time). Once they float to the surface, remove the bagels from the boiling water with a slotted spoon. This usually takes 1-2 minutes. Some may try to stick to the bottom of the pot so make sure you give them a gentle stir to make sure they aren't sticking. Transfer bagels back onto parchment sheet lined pan.
- At this point, if you choose, you can dip the wet bagels in any sort of topping you want. An example would be an everything bagel seasoning or seed blend. Or you can simply leave them plain.
- Bake bagels in a 450 degree oven on center rack for 20 minutes. Flip them over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool and enjoy!