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Finished Gluten-Free Sourdough Bagels

Gluten-Free Sourdough Bagels

Chewy, boiled gluten-free sourdough bagels built on a psyllium gel dough, with real sourdough tang and a genuine boiling-water crust.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Rise Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 38 minutes
Servings: 6 bagels
Course: Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: American, Jewish
Calories: 245

Ingredients
  

For the Dough
  • 420 g (about 3¼ cups) gluten-free bread flour blend
  • 14 g (about 1½ tablespoons) psyllium husk powder
  • 130 g (about ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) warm water
  • 100 g (about ½ cup) active gluten-free sourdough starter
  • 80 g (about ⅓ cup) whole milk, lukewarm
  • 50 g (1 large) egg
  • 25 g (1 tablespoon) honey
  • 15 g (1 tablespoon) olive oil
  • 8 g (1½ teaspoons) fine salt
For the Boiling Water
  • 2000 g (about 8 cups) water
  • 15 g (1 tablespoon) baking soda
  • 20 g (1 tablespoon) honey
For the Topping (Optional)
  • 50 g (1 large) egg, beaten with a splash of water, for the wash
  • 15 g (2 tablespoons) everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds, for topping

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Large pot
  • Slotted spoon
  • Baking sheet and parchment paper
  • Pastry brush
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. Whisk the psyllium husk powder into the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes until it thickens into a gel.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the starter into the milk until fully dissolved, then whisk in the psyllium gel, egg, honey and olive oil. Add the flour blend and salt and mix into a thick, sticky dough. There is no kneading since there is no gluten to develop.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, until it looks puffy and slightly aerated.
  4. Divide the dough into 6 pieces of about 140 g each. With wet hands, roll each into a ball, then poke a hole through the center and stretch it into a bagel shape.
  5. Cover the shaped bagels loosely and let them rest for 30 minutes.
  6. Bring the boiling water, baking soda and honey to a rolling boil. Boil each bagel for 60 seconds per side, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
  7. Place the boiled bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, add any toppings and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 22 to 25 minutes, until deep golden and 205°F (96°C) inside.
  8. Cool the bagels on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Gluten-free sourdough starters vary more than wheat ones depending on the flour blend you feed them, so your bulk ferment time might run shorter or longer than the range given here. Judge the dough by the bubbles and the modest rise, not the clock.
I suspect the psyllium gel step is the one most gluten-free bakers skip, and it is the one that matters most. A thin, underdeveloped gel means a dough that cannot hold a boil.