Homemade New York-Style Bagels (in Texas)

Name: Homemade New York-Style Bagels
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 8 bagels
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups white flour; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 ½ tsp salt; 1 tbsp instant yeast; 1 ½ cups warm bottled water; 1 tbsp barley malt syrup or maple syrup (for the water bath); Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other toppings (optional)

AI Kitchen
Jul 31, 2024
3 min read

Craving the iconic taste of a New York bagel but miles away from the Big Apple? This homemade New York-style bagel recipe brings the authentic flavor and chewiness right to your kitchen. Using simple ingredients and a few tried-and-true techniques, you'll be biting into warm, fresh bagels in no time. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a bagel newbie, these instructions are easy to follow and guarantee a delicious result. Get ready to impress your family and friends with bagels that rival those from your favorite bakery!

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One of my best friends in Texas is a self-proclaimed bagel snob and insists that you can't get a good bagel here because of our hard water. Curious to see if that's true, I decided to see what ChatGPT could come up with.

Here we go:

I want a new York style bagel recipe. Only problem is I have really hard water here in Texas. I do have bottled water from the store if that helps

And it responded:

Using bottled water is a great idea for making New York-style bagels, as hard water can affect the dough's texture and flavor. Here's a recipe for you: New York-Style Bagels Ingredients: 4 cups bread flour 1 tbsp sugar 1 ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp instant yeast 1 ½ cups warm bottled water 1 tbsp barley malt syrup or honey (for the water bath) Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other toppings (optional)

Honey is still a bit of a problem since baby is not 1 yet (he is in one week, I don't know why I'm so anxious about this):

Can I use maple syrup instead of honey

And it said that yes, however taste might change a bit:

Yes, you can use maple syrup instead of honey for the water bath. It will add a slightly different flavor, but it should still work well. Use the same amount—1 tablespoon of maple syrup.

Oh, again with the bread flour. I haven't found organic bread flour, so I asked:

Can I use white flour instead of bread flour

And it said:

You can use white flour instead of bread flour, but the texture of the bagels might be slightly different. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which gives bagels their characteristic chewiness. If you use white flour, you may want to add a bit of vital wheat gluten to increase the protein content. For every cup of white flour, add about 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten. If you don't have vital wheat gluten, you can still use white flour, but the bagels might be a bit softer and less chewy.

I don't have gluten readily available at home and I just learned something new about stretching and folding to encourage gluten bonding so I asked:

Instead of adding gluten, can I just do the same as with sourdough bread and knead and fold for 2 hours to increase gluten bonding?

And it said:

Yes, you can develop gluten through extended kneading and folding, similar to the technique used for sourdough bread. This can help improve the texture and chewiness of the bagels when using white flour. Here's an adapted method:

Problem solved! Here we go:

Servings: ~8 bagels

Calories per Serving: 270-300

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Resting and Rising Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Total Time: Approximately 3 hours

Homemade New York-Style Bagels

Ingredients:

4 cups white flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tbsp instant yeast
1 ½ cups warm bottled water
1 tbsp barley malt syrup or maple syrup (for the water bath)
Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other toppings (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare the Dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
Gradually add the warm bottled water while mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead and Fold:

Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Perform a series of folds: stretch and fold the dough from each side into the center. Let it rest for another 30 minutes.
Repeat the folding process 3-4 times over the course of 2 hours.

First Rise:

After the final fold, let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Shape the Bagels:

Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a ball, then poke a hole in the center with your thumb and stretch it to form a bagel shape.
Place the shaped bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a damp towel. Let them rest for 10 minutes.

Boil the Bagels:

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the barley malt syrup or maple syrup to the boiling water.
Boil the bagels, 2-3 at a time, for about 1 minute on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them back on the baking sheet.

Bake the Bagels:

If using toppings, dip the top of each boiled bagel into a plate of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other desired toppings.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the bagels are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.