Bagel (New York – Style) with Jalapeno Cream Cheese

 

 

Bagel is a form of bread originated in the Jewish community, now very popular in North America. A bagel, usually served with cream cheese is a staple breakfast of many New Yorkers!

 

This ring-shaped bread made from yeasted-lean dough. Lean dough? Yes, because the bagel dough has no fat added, meaning there is no oil, butter etc. added while making the dough! Sounds healthy? I leave it for you to decide as each bagel is about 230 calories without any cream cheese spread!

 

Traditionally, a bagel dough is shaped by hand, boiled in water for a short period of time and then baked to get dense and chewy bagel. Bagels are often topped with various seasoning, the traditional ones being poppy seeds and sesame seeds. And then, there is Everything Bagel that is supposed to the king of bagels.

 

Everything bagels are the bagels topped with all the key toppings – poppy seeds, sesame seeds (both white and black), dried and minced onion, dried and minced garlic and flaked or coarse salt.

 

Depending on the ingredients used and the process of making bagels, there are different varieties. Some are boiled in honey-sweetened water or the dough incorporated some sourdough or baked in steam. I also hear there are scooped out bagels and many more!

 

This recipe is of New York styled bagels in which the ring shaped dough is first boiled in water and then baked making the bagels dense, doughy and chewy.

 

Not a fan of these dense, doughy and chewy bagels, but here I am with some bagels and the recipe for a reason. Go, try making them at home; it is quite an easy bread to make I must say.

 

 

 

 

 

Active Dry Yeast – 2 teaspoons

Warm Water – 1 1/2 cups

Granulated Sugar – 1 1/2 tablespoons

Bread Flour – 3 1/2 cups  +  dusting

Salt – 1 1/2 teaspoons

 

Milk – 1/2 cup of milk-wash

Oil for greasing the bowl

 

Toppings: ( I used white Sesame Seeds and Poppy Seeds only)

Sesame Seeds (White/Black)

Poppy Seeds

Minced and dried onion

Minced and dried garlic

 

 

 

 

 

Philadelphia Low-fat Cream Cheese – 8 oz/226gms (I think this brand makes the best cream cheese)

Jalapeno pepper – 1

Fresh Cilantro/Parsley – 3 to 4 strings

Dried Herbs –  2 teaspoons (I used oregano, thyme, rosemary)

Garlic Salt – to taste

 

 

 

 

1. Take 1/2 cup of warm water in a large bowl, add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add yeast, stir until well combined. Let is sit for 5 minutes until the mixture tuns frothy.
2. Take the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, pour the yeast mixture and 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix well to make a moist but firm dough.You might have to add a little more water while mixing, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry.
4. Now dust a cleaned kitchen counter top with little flour and knead the dough thoroughly for about 10 minutes. The dough must be soft, elastic and stiff. Bring the dough together to form a smooth dough ball.
5. Brush some oil on the dough ball and place it in a greased bowl, cover the dough ball with a moist cloth. Keep it aside in a warm place to proof for an hour or till the dough has doubled in volume.
6. Now punch the dough down and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
8. Now take a portion of the dough, lightly dust your palms and roll the dough in circular motion between your palms to get a smooth dough ball.
9. Coat your finger with little flour and gently pass your finger through the centre of the dough ball to make a hole. Then using the same finger, stretch the ring through the hole until it forms a well shaped ring with a hole of about 1 1/2 cms in diameter and place it on lightly greased baking tray. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for all the remaining portions of the dough.
10. Once all the dough rings are ready, cover them with a moist cloth for about 10 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 425 F or 220 C.
12. Line a baking tray large enough to accommodate 8 bagels with parchment paper. You might need two trays if they are not big enough.
13. Bring a large pot of water to rolling boil. Reduce the flame to medium.
14. Now comes the most important step – water bath. Carefully drop a dough ring into the water and let it cook for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon flip it and let it cook for another 2 minutes. The ring will now float on top. Depending on the size of the pot, you can cook 2-3 rings at a time. If you prefer your bagel less chewy, cook each side for 1 minute only. Cooking for an additional 1 minute on each side gives you the typical New York-styled chewy bagels. Place them a lined baking tray.
15. Generously smear milk on the surface of all the bagels.
16. Sprinkle the toppings of your choice.
17. Bake for 20-22 minutes until they turn golden brown.
18. Place the bagels on a cooling rack to cool down a bit.

 

You might like my Eggless Baked Donut recipe too!

 

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