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Classic Sourdough Bagels (5)
Desi

Classic Sourdough Bagels

Chewy, boiled-and-baked sourdough bagels timed by your starter's own rise, ready the same day or finished the next morning from a cold proof.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rest / Ferment (+ Overnight Cold Proof) 21 hours
Total Time 22 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 12 bagels
Course: Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g (2 cups + 2 Tbsp) filtered water
  • 360 g (1½ cups) active sourdough starter
  • 50 g (¼ cup) organic raw cane sugar
  • 50 g (about 2½ Tbsp) maple syrup
  • 1150 g (about 9½ cups) high-protein bread flour, 12-14% protein (Desi uses Caputo Chef 00)
  • 22 g (about 4 tsp) fine sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp honey (for the boiling water)
  • 1 Tbsp baking soda (for the boiling water)
  • shredded cheddar cheese optional, for topping
  • everything bagel seasoning optional, for topping
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning optional, mixed into the dough

Equipment

  • Stand mixer
  • Kitchen scale
  • Bench scraper or a sharp knife
  • Parchment paper, cut into 6-inch squares
  • Large pot
  • Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Shower cap or a reusable bowl cover
  • Covered container
  • Wide, shallow slotted strainer

Method
 

  1. Mix the water and starter until dissolved, then mix in the sugar and maple syrup.
  2. Add the flour, then the salt, and mix until just incorporated. For Italian seasoning bagels, add about 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning here too.
  3. Knead by hand about 1 minute, until smooth. Cover and rest 1 hour.
  4. Knead again for about 2 minutes, cover, and bulk ferment until risen about 50% (roughly 4-8 hours, depending on your kitchen).
  5. Divide into 12 portions (about 175-177 g each) and pre-shape into tight rounds. Rest, covered, 20 minutes.
  6. Shape each round into a bagel and set on a parchment square.
  7. Either let rise at room temperature 1-2 hours until about 50% risen, or refrigerate overnight in a covered container and rise 1-2 hours the next day.
  8. Boil a large pot of water with 1 Tbsp honey and 1 Tbsp baking soda. Boil each bagel 30 seconds per side, using a strainer to flip and lift them out.
  9. Arrange boiled bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkling with cheddar or everything seasoning now if using, while still wet. Preheat oven to 425°F and bake 17-18 minutes.
  10. Cool on a rack at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Built around active starter, so timing follows the dough's own rise rather than a fixed clock, watch for about 50% risen at every stage. Works equally well baked the same day or finished the next morning from a cold proof.