I have been craving bagels for some time now, so I was naturally delighted when Emilee Raffa of The Clever Carrot offered a Zoom Class yesterday to give us the know-how. It was some of the fasted paced training I have taken, but she offered us very clear and visual instructions, including this recipe for her Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels.

She writes:

With just 10 minutes of prep, this easy, overnight recipe uses active sourdough starter for the ultimate soft & chewy NY-style bagel. Customize with zesty everything bagel spice, sesame seeds and more! …I highly recommend eating a warm, chewy, delicious sourdough bagel straight from the oven to experience its one-of-a-kind, thin and crispy crust!

Emilee Raffa
  • Cut into equal pieces
  • Shape into tight balls
  • Poke hole in center of each ball
  • Twirl dough around 2 fingers
  • Let the dough rise one last time
  • Boil bagels in water, 30 seconds each side
  • Seed bagels while still moist from the water bath
  • Bake bagels for 15-20 minutes at 425°F /220°C
  • Serve with cream cheese and toppings
Visual steps to Emilee Raffa’s Easy Sourdough Bagels

Emilee Raffa’s Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels

REAL SOURDOUGH BAGELS
As you can see my first trial on the left were not great looking, but see how nice my second batch (on the right) turned out!
Serving Size:
8 bagels
Time:
10 minutes prep
8–24 hour long ferment
Difficulty:
Easy

“Bagels are all about technique,” explains Raffa, “which is a two-step process. First, boil the dough to set the crust, which prevents the dough from rising too much. You can’t skip this step, but it’s easy—it’s just like boiling ravioli. Then bake the bagels for a nice golden crust. For timing, you can break up the process over two days. Make the dough on Saturday evening and allow it to rise overnight. On Sunday morning, shape, boil and bake.”

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup / 150g active starter
  • 1 cup + 2 tsp / 250g warm water
  • 2 tbsp / 24g sugar
  • 4 cups+2 tbsp / 500g bread flour
  • 1 tsp / 9g real salt
  • 1 tbsp / 20g honey
  • Cooking spray or oil, for coating
  • Mixed seeds, such as poppy, sesame, fennel, flax and/or sunflower

Directions

  1. “A few days before baking, feed your starter with fresh flour and water, and store at room temperature until ready to use. Once it becomes bubbly, active and double in size, you are ready to make the dough.
  2. MAKE THE DOUGH:
    “In a large bowl, whisk the starter, water, and sugar together with a fork. Add the flour and salt. Combine to form a rough dough, then finish mixing by hand until no lumps of flour remain. Because this dough is stiff, consider using a stand mixer to give your hands a break; run on low speed for 5 to 6 minutes to combine. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After the dough has rested, work the mass into a semi-smooth ball, about 15 to 20 seconds.
  3. BULK RISE:
    “Cover the bowl with a damp towel or lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until double in size, about 8 to 10 hours at room temperature, 70 F (21 C).
  4. SHAPE:
    “Line a sheet pan with a nonstick silicone mat or parchment paper. If using parchment, lightly coat with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking.
    “Remove the dough onto a non-floured work surface. Flatten the dough into a rectangle and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 115 g (4 oz) each. Gather the ends, flip the dough over, and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest on your sheet pan for 10 to 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
    “Working with one ball of dough at a time, poke a hole straight through the center. Move your finger around in a circular motion to gently stretch the dough until the hole is about the size of a walnut. You can also lift up the dough, insert both index fingers through the center hole, and barrel roll to gently stretch the opening. When finished, place the dough back onto your sheet pan. It’s okay if the hole shrinks slightly. Repeat shaping the remaining dough.!
  5. SECOND RISE:
    “Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough will puff up only slightly at this stage.
  6. “Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the honey and whisk well to dissolve. Preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C). Add the seeds to a rimmed tray or shallow bowl.!
  7. BOIL THE BAGELS:
  8. “Add 2 to 3 bagels into the pot and wait for them to float to the top, about 10 seconds, or they will float right away. Simmer for 30 seconds on each side for a thin crust. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bagels back the sheet pan you used earlier, placing them rounded side up. Once slightly cool but still wet, dip the rounded side of the bagels into the seeds to coat. Place back onto the sheet pan and finish boiling the rest of the bagels.
  9. BAKE:
    “Bake the bagels for about 20 to 25 minutes. Flip them over to briefly cook the bottom side, about 1 to 2 minutes or less. When ready, your bagels will be puffed up, light golden brown, and feel light to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, but indulge yourself and eat one (or two) warm.
    “The chewy texture of bagels is best enjoyed when made fresh. Store in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Bagels also freeze well; freeze them whole or sliced, covered in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months.”
TIPVARIATION
“ Sometimes your bagels will have a smooth surface, and other times they might feel bumpy or have small blisters. This all depends on how the dough was fermented, temperature, and overall handling. Don’t worry about this too much, as the appearance has no bearing on flavor.”“For cinnamon raisin bagels, add 6 g (2 tsp) of cinnamon, or 3 g (1 tsp) pumpkin pie spice plus 3 g (1 tsp) of cinnamon, to the dry ingredients. While the dough is resting, soak 80 g (1/2 cup) of raisins in warm water. Drain well before using and knead well to incorporate.”