Authentic New York-style bagels are quite different from bagel types. For instance, while many recipes for homemade New York-style bagels may seem similar to those for Montreal bagels, the similarities largely stop at the unique process of boiling the dough before baking. One way to distinguish New York-style bagels is by their crispy exterior, soft and chewy interiors, and savory flavor. What’s more, they are easy to make, provided one follows the right instructions!
How NYC-style bagels differ from other bagels
Before looking at authentic New York bagel recipes, it is important to understand what sets them apart from other types of bagels. One of the biggest differences between regular bagels and NYC-style bagels is the unique step involved in the cooking process. Most traditional New York bagel-making processes involve submerging the bagels in boiling water.
The boiling process continues for a few minutes before baking the bagels in the oven. This is sometimes also referred to as “water bagels.” Successfully executing this step is crucial for achieving New York bagels’ classic chewy texture characteristic. Boiling the dough before baking helps create a properly set exterior, resulting in bagels with a crispy crust on the outside and a chewy texture on the inside.
How to make New York-style bagels at home
Getting the crispy crust on the outside with a softer texture on the inside is not too hard when making homemade New York bagels with classic flavor. Besides the short ingredient list, the cooking process is also simple enough. Most recipes usually call for mixing all-purpose flour or bread flour with lukewarm water, active dry yeast or instant yeast, salt, granulated sugar or natural cane sugar, and vegetable oil. Some bakers also add some wheat gluten to the mix.
Once the dough is prepped to be smooth yet moist and firm, it is time to shape the bagels. There are several methods for shaping the bagels; however, most traditional bagel shops roll the dough into equal-sized logs. The ends of each log then need to be bonded together to form the bagel shape. Alternatively, one can make taut roundels of bagel dough before gently poking holes in the middle of each roundel and stretching out each of the bagel rings to a third of the diameter. Once this is done, one must let these rest for around 20 minutes. The bagel rings can then be placed on a lined cookie sheet and covered with cling wrap and a towel for resting.
While the bagels are resting, preheat the oven to about 425ºF, switch on the stove, and place a large pot of water on it. Let the water come to a boil. While most original recipes call for barley malt to be added to the water, one can simply use plain water. Once the water starts to boil, lower the heat before gently and carefully placing the proofed and rested bagels into the water. They can be boiled in small batches so as not to cause overcrowding; otherwise, the bagels may stick to one another and cause a gluey mess. Let them stay in the boiling water for about a minute or two. The bagels will float to the top, after which one can flip them over before boiling them for another minute or two. Doing this will give the bagels the chewy texture that most New York-style bagels have.
Once done, gently strain the bagels from the boiling water using a spatula or spoon and transfer them onto the lined cookie sheet. Apply a layer of egg wash on each of the bagels before topping them with caraway seeds, minced garlic, poppy seeds, dried onions, sesame seeds, or a combination of any of these. One can also simply sprinkle on a premade mix, like the Everything But the Bagel seasoning.
After adding the seasonings and toppings of one’s choice, put the bagels in the oven and bake for around 20 minutes or until the tops and sides turn golden brown. After baking the bagels, let them cool down before transferring them to an airtight container. Leave the container out on the countertop at room temperature overnight. Doing this will make the texture and flavor of the bagels much better the next day.
What to not do
Never steam an authentic New York-style bagel! If it has been streamed, it is not a New York-style bagel. To recognize an authentic NYC-style bagel, turn it over to look at the bottom. Steaming leads to a grid pattern forming on the bottom of the bagel, which will not happen if they are boiled before baking. So, a key tip for making New York-style bagels at home is to not steam them instead of boiling them. Steaming may seem easier and fuss-free, but it will not give the bagels their authentic NYC-style texture and feel.
Steaming the bagel makes them less round and shiny than the real New York bagel. Additionally, while making these at home, never toast them because the real New York-style bagels are traditionally not toasted at all.