Mastering the Ultimate New York Bagel

Overview

This video details the rigorous process of making authentic New York bagels, emphasizing precise techniques and ingredient ratios for achieving the iconic crisp crust and dense, chewy crumb. It covers everything from creating a high-gluten flour sponge and cold fermentation to alkaline boiling and baking, concluding with a homemade scallion schmear and cold-smoked salmon assembly.

Ingredients

• 227 grams (8 ounces) high-gluten bread flour
• 227 milliliters (1 cup) unchlorinated water
• 3 grams (0.1 ounces) instant yeast
• 227 grams (8 ounces) high-gluten flour
• 11 grams (0.4 ounces) kosher salt
• 14 grams (0.5 ounces) barley malt syrup
• 3.8 liters (1 gallon) water (for boiling)
• 42 grams (1.5 ounces) barley malt syrup (for boiling)
• 14 grams (0.5 ounces) baking soda
• 50 grams (1.8 ounces) toasted sesame seeds
• 225 grams (8 ounces) full-fat block cream cheese
• 30 grams (1 ounce) fresh scallions
• 55 grams (2 ounces) cold-smoked salmon (lox)

Instructions

1. In a large ceramic bowl, combine 227 grams (8 ounces) of high-gluten bread flour with 227 milliliters (1 cup) of unchlorinated water at 21°C (70°F).
2. Sprinkle in 3 grams (0.1 ounces) of instant yeast to create the sponge, allowing it to develop complex organic acids.
3. To the active sponge, add another 227 grams (8 ounces) of high-gluten flour, 11 grams (0.4 ounces) of kosher salt, and 14 grams (0.5 ounces) of barley malt syrup.
4. Move the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix on low speed for 4 minutes to incorporate ingredients.
5. Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead for exactly 12 minutes; the dough will be stiff and dry.
6. Punch down the rested dough and divide it into exactly 113 gram (4 ounce) portions using a bench scraper.
7. Roll each dough piece against your work surface into a tight ball, then cover with a damp towel for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
8. Roll each ball under your palms into a 20 centimeter (8 inch) cylinder.
9. Wrap the rope around your dominant hand, overlapping the ends by 5 centimeters (2 inches) at your palm, and roll your palm firmly against the table to seal the seam.
10. Chill the shaped dough at 4°C (39°F) for 24 hours for cold retarding.
11. Preheat your oven to 260°C (500°F) with a baking stone on the middle rack.
12. Fill a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of water.
13. Whisk in 42 grams (1.5 ounces) of barley malt syrup and 14 grams (0.5 ounces) of baking soda into the pot.
14. Bring the water to a rolling boil at exactly 100°C (212°F).
15. Pull three cold bagel rings directly from the fridge and drop them into the boiling water; they should float within 10 seconds.
16. Pour 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of toasted sesame seeds into a shallow dish.
17. While the boiled dough is still tacky and steaming, gently press both sides of the damp bagel into the seeds for an even coating.
18. Transfer the seeded rings back to a semolina-dusted parchment pan.
19. Slide the parchment directly onto the baking stone and bake for exactly 7 minutes.
20. For the schmear, soften 225 grams (8 ounces) of full-fat block cream cheese to exactly 20°C (68°F).
21. Place the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and use a stiff spatula to aggressively whip it for 3 minutes until light and aerated.
22. Finely chop 30 grams (1 ounce) of fresh scallions, using both white and green parts, and fold them into the whipped cream cheese.
23. Take a fully cooled bagel (at 21°C / 70°F) and slice it cleanly through the equator with a serrated bread knife.
24. On the bottom half, generously spread 45 grams (1.5 ounces) of room-temperature scallion schmear, pushing it to the crust edge.
25. Drape exactly 55 grams (2 ounces) of premium cold-smoked salmon (lox), straight from the fridge at 4°C (39°F), onto the schmear.

In this video

• Achieving the iconic shatter-crisp crust yielding to a dense, chewy crumb requires a rigid, time-tested sequence of hydration, cold fermentation, and alkaline boiling.
• The foundation of a proper bagel is the sponge, a pre-ferment made from 227 grams (8 ounces) of high-gluten bread flour, 227 milliliters (1 cup) of unchlorinated water at 21°C (70°F), and 3 grams (0.1 ounces) of instant yeast.
• High-gluten bread flour with at least 14% protein is non-negotiable for building the signature muscular chew of an authentic bagel.
• The bagel dough is a low-hydration dough, roughly 50%, and should be kneaded for exactly 12 minutes on medium-low speed in a stand mixer.
• Shaped dough portions of 113 grams (4 ounces) are formed using the traditional rope method, rolling each into a 20 centimeter (8 inch) cylinder and sealing the ends.
• Boiling separates a bagel from a roll, with 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of water containing 42 grams (1.5 ounces) of barley malt syrup and 14 grams (0.5 ounces) of baking soda gelatinizing the starches on the surface.
• The oven must be preheated to an aggressive 260°C (500°F) with a baking stone, and bagels are baked for exactly 7 minutes.
• Mandatory cold retarding involves chilling the shaped dough at 4°C (39°F) for 24 hours to develop a blistered, complex crust.
• A proper scallion schmear is made by aggressively whipping 225 grams (8 ounces) of full-fat block cream cheese, softened to 20°C (68°F), for 3 minutes and mixing with 30 grams (1 ounce) of finely chopped scallions.
• For assembly, spread 45 grams (1.5 ounces) of room-temperature scallion schmear on a cooled bagel, then drape 55 grams (2 ounces) of cold-smoked salmon (lox) from the fridge.

Frequently asked questions

What is the secret to a New York bagel's crisp crust and chewy interior?

The iconic shatter-crisp crust and dense, chewy crumb of a New York bagel result from a precise sequence of hydration, cold fermentation, and alkaline boiling, followed by high-temperature baking.

What kind of flour should be used for authentic bagels?

High-gluten bread flour with at least 14% protein is essential for building the muscular chew that is characteristic of authentic bagels. This specific protein content is non-negotiable.

Why is cold fermentation important for bagel making?

Cold fermentation, or cold retarding, of the shaped dough at 4°C (39°F) for 24 hours is mandatory. This process is crucial for developing the distinctive blistered, complex crust of a New York bagel.

How long should bagels be baked and at what temperature?

Bagels should be baked for exactly 7 minutes in an aggressive oven preheated to 260°C (500°F). It is recommended to use a baking stone on the middle rack.

How do you make a proper scallion schmear from scratch?

To make a proper scallion schmear, aggressively whip 225 grams (8 ounces) of full-fat block cream cheese, softened to 20°C (68°F), for 3 minutes until aerated. Then, finely chop 30 grams (1 ounce) of fresh scallions and mix them into the cream cheese.