Favorite Versatile Cold-Fermented Bagels
I’m not sure when it happened, but I fell in love with bagels. I enjoy their chewiness, their aroma—not overly soft, no excessive sugar or oil, making them light to eat. Actually, bagels aren’t just for eating plain (truthfully, it’s because I’m lazy and don’t want to make fillings or sandwiches); you can fill them with stuffing like cream cheese, sweet red beans, pork floss for added flavor, or slice them horizontally to make bagel sandwiches. They’re tastier and more satisfying than regular rolls—perfect for breakfast. ———— Serious Preparation Line ———— ▲ The Polish starter, also called a liquid starter, should be made the night before or at least 12 hours in advance. Cold-fermented starters are genuinely convenient, quick, and deliver excellent results. For those with a busy schedule, prepare it before heading to work and leave it in the fridge to ferment. It’ll be ready to use after work. Those who stay at home full-time can prepare it before bed and use it in the morning. Of course, the Polish starter can also be fermented at room temperature—it only takes about 1-2 hours, depending on the room's temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster it ferments, and the lower the temperature, the slower it ferments. If the room is too cold, it’s actually better to ferment it in the fridge. If it doesn’t seem to rise in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to partially ferment before placing it in the fridge. That works too. ▲ Different flours have varying water absorption properties, so adjust the water amount accordingly. Beginners, keep some water aside and be cautious. Don’t immediately blame the recipe if the dough feels sticky or think the recipe is faulty. ▲ Kneading dough during hot weather can be frustrating; get ice water and an ice bucket ready to control the dough's temperature. ▲ This recipe makes 5-6 bagels. If you love bagels, you can double the recipe—it’s worth it given the time it takes to make them. Doubling the recipe isn’t a bad idea.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare the Polish starter approximately 12 hours in advance: Using chopsticks or a scraper, mix the ingredients for the starter until the dry yeast is fully incorporated. Seal and refrigerate to ferment until the mixture achieves a honeycomb-like texture and gives off a fermented, wine-like aroma. The estimated time is mentioned earlier—take note!
Combine all the main dough ingredients except the vegetable oil in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine and start kneading.
Using the Hauswirt EAT stand mixer, I kneaded at speed 5 for 4 minutes, then switched to speed 7 for another 3 minutes. After that, I added the vegetable oil and kneaded at speed 2 for 2 minutes, followed by speed 6 for 1 minute. The dough is now kneaded—check the dough temperature. This time, it was 23°C.
Knead until the dough is smooth and forms a membrane when stretched.
Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it proof at room temperature. This is the first proofing stage. Bagels can be proofed once or shaped and rested immediately after kneading. However, skipping the first proofing tends to yield firmer bagels, so I recommend proofing to improve the texture.
Aim for a proofing temperature of 26°C. I proofed for 30 minutes.
Recently, I’ve noticed that the flour I’m using doesn’t have a high water absorption rate. I used 140g of water, but the dough turned out soft—I’ll stick with 130g next time. I doubled the recipe, making my dough weigh 936g.
Divide the dough into approximately 85g portions. With the doubled recipe, I made 11 bagels. However, 85g is a bit large; next time, I’ll divide the doubled recipe into 75g portions to make 12 bagels instead. If making a single batch, this recipe yields 5-6 bagels.
Shape each portion into a round ball and let them rest for about 15 minutes. (Note: The preparation photos were updated using whole wheat dough, but the steps are the same.)
Now for shaping—the traditional method I use: First, roll the dough into an elongated oval shape. Flip it over, flatten the bottom edge, and roll it up tightly. Pinch the seam and roll to elongate it.
Flatten one end with a rolling pin, then wrap it around the other end and pinch tightly. Shaping is complete! If this isn’t clear, search for “bagel shaping” videos online—they’re helpful and straightforward.
For the second proofing, place the shaped dough into a proofing box set to 32°C. Let it proof for about 25-30 minutes.
Here are a few important tips for this step: ① The second proofing for bagels is short, so prepare the sugar water early on. Also, since bagels are baked at high temperatures, preheat your oven in advance. Otherwise, you’ll end up rushing (as I did!). ② To prepare the sugar water: Add water and sugar to a flat-bottomed pot and heat until small bubbles form at the bottom, just before boiling. Keep it simmering on low heat and cook the bagels in this water. ③ Place dough pieces along with the parchment paper directly into the sugar water. The paper will detach naturally as the dough cooks, and you can gently remove it. Cook each side for about 20 seconds—timing isn’t too rigid; 10 seconds to 1 minute is fine.
Transfer the boiled bagels onto a baking tray. Bake in a Siemens oven on the second-to-last rack at 210°C for 18-20 minutes. If the bagels don’t brown midway, switch on convection for the final 4 minutes. For standard ovens, use the lower middle rack.
And they’re done baking! (Note: I doubled the recipe for the bagels in the photo.)
Despite some mishaps during the process, the final result looks decent. Store them in an airtight container, and breakfast for tomorrow is sorted.
+20g black sesame seeds to make black sesame bagels.
Replace 50g of high-protein flour with whole wheat flour to make whole wheat bagels.
+10g black sesame seeds mixed into the dough for this result.