Sourdough bagels were on my to-make list from the moment I started baking with wild yeast. I’ve perfected my recipe over the years to create dense, chewy bagels ideally sized to layer and bite into as sandwiches.
Bagels keep well, at room temperature and in the freezer, so I bake full batches. My recipe is easy to halve, particularly if you measure by weight. If you need sourdough starter, request it in the Sharing fermented starters Facebook group.
Sourdough Bagels
Makes 12 bagels
300 grams (about 1 cup) sourdough starter (100% hydration)
190 grams (about 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) water
50 grams (about 1/4 cup) olive oil
600 grams (about 5 cups) all-purpose flour
15 grams (about 1 tablespoon) sea salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
5 quarts water
Flavored salts, herb blends, seeds, seaweed flakes or other toppings (optional)
Set a large bowl on a kitchen scale. Measure in the starter, water, oil and flour, mixing after each to form a rough ball. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Feed your starter.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with the salt and knead for about 30 seconds, until it holds together. Cover again and let rest for 20 minutes.
Double letter fold the dough: On the floured surface, press and stretch the dough in four directions, forming a rectangle. Fold one-third up the rectangle and then the other third over the top, like a letter. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat. Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes, and then repeat the double letter fold. Cover with the redampened towel and let rest for three to four hours.
Divide and shape the dough into 12 smooth balls. Cover again and let rest for one hour, until slightly risen and smooth on top.
With your fingers, poke a hole in the middle of each ball, and then stretch the hole while rotating the dough to form an even ring. Make the rings as even as possible; their shape will change little after this. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with the redampened towel and place in the fridge for at least three and up to 24 hours.
In a stockpot, bring the baking soda and water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to keep it simmering. Preheat the oven, with a baking stone or sheet on its upper middle rack, to 400°F.
Working in batches, transfer to the soda bath as many fridge-cold bagels as fit in a single layer. Poach for about four minutes, flipping halfway through, until the bagels float and puff up. Let the water drain from each bagel before returning it to the parchment. Sprinkle immediately with toppings if desired.
Bake the bagels in batches. Lightly dip the bottoms in coarse cornmeal and space them carefully on the hot stone. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly brown on top. Transfer to a cooling rack and bake the remaining bagels. Let cool completely.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s sourdough workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.