San Francisco Style Bagels

I accidentally stumbled upon a method for making bagels that were structurally and texturally superior, I decided to take advantage of that fact, and the San Francisco-style bagel was born.

Step: 1

Combine half the flour, yeast, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover and set aside at room temperature until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Step: 2

Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the other half of the flour into the flour-water mixture. Knead with the dough hook of the stand mixer until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball that pulls away from the sides, about 10 minutes.

Step: 3

Flour your hands, remove the dough and gently form it into a ball. Place back in the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Step: 4

Divide dough into 8 equally-sized pieces, about 3 ounces each. Form each piece into a ball and poke a hole in the center, stretching to create an open and even-sized hole. Place on a floured surface, sprinkle with additional flour, cover with plastic, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Step: 5

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal.

Step: 6

Bring 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons honey to a boil in a wide, deep pan. Working in batches, boil 2 to 3 bagels for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

Step: 7

Place bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and cooked inside, 25 to 30 minutes.

Per Serving: 230 calories; protein 8.1g; carbohydrates 43.6g; fat 2.2g; cholesterol 23.3mg; sodium 1323.2mg.

The quality of the flour can make a real deal to your bread. Different brands do vary. Great taste or Canadian flours, which are naturally higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard dough flours – especially if you’re making wholemeal dough , which doesn’t always getting bigger as well as clear bread.

To made this in a breadmaker , add all the ingredients to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A bread first rising can be make in the fridge overnight . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great limit , as you can work it night before , then clear it off the next day.