Mmmm. What I would do for a good bagel… apparently I’d make one. This recipe was quite a lot of work but I mean it when I tell you it was worth it! Topped with cinnamon sugar, these bagels will wow you any time of the day and any day of the week.
This recipe is more technical—it requires you to make a “sponge” and then the actual dough. I promise it’s not that complicated, but it does require 2 days.
This recipe is taken from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. ENJOY!
Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Ingredients
sponge
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 510 grams bread flour (4 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups water
dough
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 482 grams bread flour (3 3/4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 340 grams raisins (2 cups, rinsed in water)
topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In a 4-quart container, make the sponge. Mix together the flour and yeast. Add the water and whisk until a smooth batter forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. (it will have swelled to the very top of the bowl- it will collapse if the bowl is tapped on the counter)
- To make the dough, add the sponge and the additional yeast to the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Add the salt, sugar, cinnamon, honey, and 383 grams (3 cups) of flour to the bowl. Mix on low speed with the dough hook for 3 minutes until the ingredients form a ball. Work in the remaining 99 grams (3/4 cups) of flour to stiffen the dough.
- Knead the dough for 4 minutes on a low speed. Add in the raisins and mix for 2 more minutes. The dough should be firm but also smooth and pliable. When it passes the windowpane test, stop kneading. (if the dough is too wet, add in 1 tablespoon of flour)
- Immediately divide the dough into 128 gram pieces. Form them into balls.
- Cover the balls with a damp towel and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with oil. Shape the bagels. Take one ball of dough and insert your finger in the center to make a hole. Gently rotate your thumb around the center to widen the hole to 2 1/2 inches. The sides should be the same thickness and resemble the shape of a bagel.
- Place the bagels 2 inches apart on the tray. Lightly spray with oil. Refrigerate overnight (up to 3 nights).
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 500F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
- Check to see if the bagels are ready by seeing if they pass the "float test." Fill a small bowl with cold or room temperature water. If the bagel floats within 10 seconds of hitting the water, they are ready to bake. If it floats, pat the bagel and immediately return to the fridge until the water has boiled. If it doesn't float, continue to proof the dough at room temperature and check every 10 minutes until the bagel passes the test.
- Remove the bagels from the refrigerator and gently drop them into the boiling water. Make sure there is enough space (i boiled 3 at a time). After 30 seconds, flip the bagels over to the other side and boil for 30 more seconds. While the bagels are boiling, spray the tray with more oil so they do not stick. Repeat for all the bagels.
- Bake the bagels for 6 minutes, then switch the pans and rotate them 180 degrees. Lower the temperature to 450F and bake for 5-8 additional minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Brush the bagels with the melted butter and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
