Best Multigrain Bagels Recipes

REAL HOMEMADE BAGELS

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/4 cup water, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, vegetable oil, and yeast in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed using the dough hook until well-developed, about 8 minutes. To ensure the gluten has developed fully, cut off a walnut-sized piece of dough. Flour your fingers, and then stretch the dough: if it tears immediately, the dough needs more kneading. Fully developed dough should form a thin translucent "windowpane."
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let rise for 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down, place it on a lightly floured work surface, and use a knife or dough scraper to divide the dough into 6 pieces (or more, for smaller bagels). Roll each piece of dough into a sausage shape about 6 inches long. Join the ends to form a circle. Repeat with the remaining dough, and let the bagels rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange small plates with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and onion flakes next to the baking sheet.
• Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add honey, if desired (see Editor's Note). Boil the bagels, three at a time, until they rise to the surface of the pot, about 1 minute per side. Remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Dip the tops of the wet bagels into the toppings and arrange them, seeds up, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven until the bagels begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

WHOLE GRAIN BAGELS

Steps:

• Put oats into a food processor or blender and process for 1 minute.
• FOR ABM: put all ingredients into bread machine in the order listed and select dough cycle.
• FOR STAND MIXER:.
• Proof yeast (mix yeast, warm water, and honey together- let stand 5 minutes until foamy).
• Using the dough hook, mix in stand mixer with other ingredients on low speed until a ball forms around the dough hook and the sides of the bowl are clean. Adjust the setting to level 2, and allow the dough hook to knead for 2 minutes.
• Turn into a greased bowl and cover, let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 90 minutes.
• BY HAND:.
• Proof yeast (mix yeast, warm water, and honey together- let stand 5 minutes until foamy).
• Combine all ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until all ingredients have come together.
• Knead an additional 8-10 minutes or until dough has become smooth and pliable.
• Turn into a greased bowl and cover, let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 90 minutes.
• All methods:.
• When dough has completed it's rising (is doubled in size) or dough cycle is complete, set dough to rest on a lightly floured surface, and cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball and flatten.
• Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. and twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole.
• Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While bagels are resting, bring 3 quarts of water to a hard boil in a large pot.
• Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal (I usually use parchment paper and sprinkle the cornmeal over the top).
• Stir 3 tablespoons of molasses into the boiling water.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water.
• Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through.
• Drain briefly on clean towel.
• Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet.
• Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with your choice of toppings- poppy seeds, sesame seeds, etc.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.
• After baking, bagels without toppings can be brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, brushed with garlic butter, etc.

PETER REINHART'S WHOLE WHEAT BAGELS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or in a large bowl combine flour, salt and yeast. Stir together or mix at low speed for about 30 seconds. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon barley malt, honey or agave syrup and whisk together.
• Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and mix on low speed or stir for 1 minute. Mixture will be shaggy and sticky. Remove paddle and let dough stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Switch to dough hook or turn dough onto lightly oiled work surface and mix on low speed or knead for 2 minutes, until smooth and slightly tacky. Add more flour if necessary (a few tablespoons) if dough is very sticky or wet, and mix or knead for another minute. Finished dough should be firm but supple and smooth to the touch. If it is tacky wait 5 minutes, then add a little more flour as necessary and beat or knead until incorporated.
• Shape dough into a ball. Clean and oil bowl. Place dough in bowl rounded side down first (to oil the dough), then rounded side up. Cover bowl tightly with plastic and allow dough to proof at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it has swelled and increased in size by about 1 1/2 times.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and lightly oil parchment. Turn out the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by placing on an unfloured work surface under a cupped hand and rolling it around and around. Lightly oil work surface if dough sticks. To shape bagels, using both hands roll each ball into an 8-inch long rope, tapering from the middle of the dough to the ends. Moisten the last inch of each end, place one end on the palm of your hand and wrap the rope around your hand, bringing the other end between your thumb and forefinger. Overlap the ends by about 2 inches and stick the ends together. Press onto the work surface and roll back and forth to seal, then lay the ring down and even out the thickness with your fingers. The hole should be about 2 inches in diameter. Place on the prepared baking sheets. (Another way to shape the bagels is to press your thumbs through the center of the balls, then gradually pull apart and shape the bagel with your hands by rotating the dough around your thumbs, until the hole is 2 inches in diameter; I find that, although this method is a bit quicker, the bagels tend to close up, so I prefer the rope method). Place on prepared baking sheet(s), at least 1 inch apart. Lightly oil tops and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Allow bagels to proof for 30 to 60 minutes, until just beginning to swell and rise. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees with a rack positioned in the middle.
• Carefully remove parchment paper with bagels from baking sheet and replace parchment with clean sheets. Lightly oil parchment and sprinkle with cornmeal or semolina (if you have lots of baking sheets, just line two more baking sheets). To see if bagels are ready, drop one into a bowl of water. It should float to the surface within 15 seconds. If it does not, wait 20 minutes and do another float test.
• Bring 4 to 6 inches water to a boil in a large saucepan and add baking soda, malt syrup or honey. Adjust heat so water is at a gentle boil. Two at a time, drop bagels into water. After 30 seconds flip over and simmer for another 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, remove from water and place on prepared baking sheet, rounded side up. Sprinkle topping over bagel right away. Place in oven and bake 12 minutes. Rotate baking sheet and bake another 8 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. If bottoms are getting too brown slide a second baking pan underneath the first one for insulation after first 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.