Bagels are a breakfast staple and vessels for so many different combinations and flavors. Unfortunately, many people have never tasted the perfect bagel. Most grocery stores sell the classic supermarket bagels, which are often dense and can sometimes be oddly sweet. Those lucky enough to live in the bagel capital, New York City, don’t need to worry about finding a great bagel. With this recipe, everyone can have their own bite of New York City in their kitchen.

Andrew Rea, known for his YouTube cooking show, “Binging with Babish,” specializes in recreating foods from movies and television shows. Bagels have made an appearance on many different shows, however, Rea decided to tackle the bagels from the beloved cartoon, Steven Universe. 

While some of the ingredients and equipment may be initially hard to source, once one has all the necessary items, making the bagels is no trouble at all. The hardest part of the process is having to wait to eat them. The overnight resting process ensures that the bagels will have a crisp exterior, while still remaining soft on the inside. The malt powder is the key ingredient that gives the bagels a classic New York style flavor, while the two-step process of boiling and baking allows the bagels to develop a nice crust that store-bought bagels lack. An issue the recipe presented is that they are best when fresh and didn’t keep very well overnight. By the next morning, the bagel’s interior had become fairly heavy and the crust was no longer as crisp. Another conflict about this recipe is that the bagels are smaller than one might expect. It’s recommended to at least double the portions of the ingredients to have regular-sized bagels. 

These bagels are not only perfect on their own, but they also make an excellent breakfast sandwich. No matter what you put on one of these, one can’t go wrong with this recipe. 

Rea’s recipe has found the secret to creating an exceptional bagel easily at home. The flavor of these treats, fresh out of a hot oven, will most likely be better than any bagel you have ever tasted. These bagels are extremely customizable and good enough to make at any time. Beware that once you try this recipe, there is no going back to the dull and bland grocery store bagels. 

Recipe: 

Bagel Dough:

• 650 grams bread flour
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 350 grams water
• 25 grams granulated sugar
• 25 grams diastatic malt powder
• 10 grams kosher salt

For boiling the bagels:

• 1 ½ gallons water
• 1 Tbsp barley syrup
• 2 tsp baking soda

  

Instructions:

1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer goes 250 grams of bread flour, 1 tsp active dry yeast and 350 grams of water. Combine with a spatula into a paste. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours until bubbles appear. Set bowl in stand mixer with dough hook. In a separate bowl, combine: 400 grams bread flour, granulated sugar, diastatic malt powder and kosher salt. Mix dry ingredients together, starting the mixer at a low speed. Add in  dry mix, one spoonful at a time, until mixture is a dough. After combining, knead dough for 20 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, grease a half-size sheet pan. Line with parchment paper and grease as well Cut dough and form into balls that weigh 65 grams. For the balls, tuck the dough underneath itself, making it smooth and round. Cover with a damp towel between formations. After, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for another 20 minutes. 
3. Remove from fridge and gently make a hole in the middle. Stretch out by circling the middle hole with two fingers. Once the bagel is formed, cover again with plastic wrap, and let sit for 20 minutes before putting in fridge overnight; at least 24 hours. 
4. In a large pot, pour water, barley syrup and baking soda. After dissolved, and the water is at a boil, place bagels in for  60 seconds on each side. At this time, preheat the oven to 425°F. Flip onto the cooling rack, smooth side up to drain for about one minute. Flavors can now be added. . 

   

5. Put the bagels on a lightly greased parchment paper-lined baking sheet and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate tray at 7 minutes and flip bagels at 13 minutes. 
6. Place on a cooling rack and let sit for 5 minutes. And they’re ready to enjoy!