Before developing my recipe and process for making bagels at my bakery, I toured the famous bagel houses of New York and Montreal, each with their own unique style. This recipe is akin to the New York style, with a dense, chewy crumb and toothsome crust.

The key to getting the bagel right lies in the stiffness of the dough. This is what lends the chewy dense crumb of a great morning bagel. The stiffness is also critical if you’re going to boil them, because it makes them less fragile and prone to deflating when they are moved into the pot. They are toothsome but yielding, with a subtle sweetness from a dash of sugar or honey in the dough.

For a simpler process and similar outcome, I heartily recommend skipping the boil. if you steam your bagels with 4 ounces of water tossed on the bottom of your oven floor as you load they will come out perefctly with much less work. The taste and texture remain largely the same. This is my preferred method.

The finished bagels freeze incredibly well in a heavy freezer bag and the dough keeps well in the fridge for up to four days. You better make a double batch if you want extra around, because these disappear fast!