Bop’s Bagels

Ingredients

• 6g (~2 tsp) active dry yeast
• 19g (~4 ½ tsp) granulated sugar
• 120ml (½ cup) warm water
• 440g (3 ½ cups) high gluten flour
• 6g (1 ½ tsp) salt

Optional Ingredients

• Mixed cheeses (asiago/cheddar), (havarti/parmesan) as a topping
• Black pepper as a mix-in
• Berries (dried or baking mix) as a mix-in
• 1 Jalapeno (chopped for a mix-in)
• Garlic granules to taste as a mix-in
• Experiment!

Instructions

1. In the ½ cup (120ml) of warm water, pour in the sugar and yeast. Do not stir. Let it sit for five minutes, and then stir the yeast and sugar mixture until it all dissolves in the water. Give a final stir.
2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and sugar mixture.
3. Slowly add ~180ml of room temp or warm water into the dry mixture. Adjust as necessary to get a moist and firm dough after you have mixed it.
4. On a floured countertop (or in a mixer), knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Try working in as much flour as possible to form a firm and stiff dough.
5. Divide appropriately and work in any mix-ins you want at this point (jalapeños, black pepper, blueberries…)
6. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
7. Carefully divide the dough into 8 pieces (I used a scale to be extra precise, but it’s not necessary).
8. Roll each piece into a “snake” about 8–10 inches long. Flip the snake around your hand and press-roll the ends together.
9. Invite friends over about now.
10. Preheat your oven to 425ºF / 220ºC / Gas Mark 7.
11. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lower the bagels into the water. Boil as many as you are comfortable with boiling at a time. Once the bagels are in, it shouldn’t take too long for them to float to the top (a couple seconds). Let them sit there for 45 seconds to a minute, and then flip them over to boil for another 45 seconds to a minute. Extend the boiling times to 2 minutes each if you prefer a chewier bagel (results will give you a more New York-Style bagel with this option).
12. If you want to add toppings like cheese or sesame seeds to your bagels, do so as you take them out of the water.
13. Once all the bagels have boiled (and have been topped with your choice of toppings), transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
14. Bake for 20 minutes, then check them every couple minutes until just perfectly golden.
15. Cool on a wire rack.
16. Do not forget a proper schmear.