Homemade Sourdough Bagel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to know when sourdough bagel dough is ready? ›

Let the dough rise for 45 minutes to an hour or until noticeably puffy, but not doubled. Prep: When your bagels are close to being ready, preheat the oven to 475 F. Float test: Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water. Place a shaped bagel in th bowl of water, if it floats then you're ready to proceed.

The loss of air and super-long fermentation can also make bagels seem tough rather than chewy, so be careful when pushing the upper limits of the proof time.

This means you haven't allowed the sourdough starter or yeast to fully rise the dough which means they won't puffy up properly when you bake them. They will dense and much more chewy than they should be. The solution for this is to allow the bagels plenty of time to rise, particularly after shaping.

There is no single best ratio, but I've found a ratio of 1:5:5 fed twice daily at 12-hour intervals to produce a sourdough starter that's strong and healthy. This ratio corresponds to 20% ripe starter carryover, 100% water, and 100% flour (a mix of whole grain rye and white flour) at each feeding.

Under fermented bread will not spring up in the oven. It's dense, gummy and often pale (depending on the degree of under fermentation). Dough that has not been bulk fermented long enough will also be difficult to shape, sticky and will often spread once tipped out the banneton. Good sourdough takes time!

A soft, airy interior (the texture depends on the recipe, but should never be dense, gummy, or overly chewy) Even crumb when the bread is sliced. This refers to “the holes” you see once the bread is cut. There shouldn't be any parts with big holes and others that look squished.

Step 3 – Boil, Top, and Bake Sourdough Bagels

(If the bagels finish proofing before your water and oven are ready, you can place them in the fridge to prevent them from over-proofing. They will be easier to handle while chilled anyway.)

Swapping in ½ cup of whole-wheat flour for ½ cup of the bread flour will make the bagels slightly less chewy but will also give them a boost of flavor.

This is a sign of over proofing, and when this happened, I ended up with flat bagels (see photo above). Over proofed dough will lose its strength too early and cause the bagels to deflate either during the second rise or while cooking. To correct this, try to find a warm, — not hot — spot to rise your dough.

Can you let sourdough rise too long? ›

If you over-ferment the dough you run the risk of the gluten structure degrading and the loaf turning into a puddle of goo before your eyes, never to be retrieved and destined for the bin. I would say that more often or not I underproof my dough, I live on what I consider to be, the “safe” side.

If you don't want to put the dough in the fridge for a cold ferment, you can leave it to proof on the counter for a little while. You do need to be careful not to let it over ferment. Ideally, you want the temperature to be on the cooler side (no more than 21C / 69.8F). Let the dough relax into the banneton.

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter? It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

With the “poke test” you put some flour on your finger and poke the dough. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it slowly springs back about halfway it is ready to bake. If it does not spring back it is overproofing and should be bake right away.

Moreira: Cook your bagels for 15 minutes at 450 to 500°F. As long as your oven temperature is correct, they should be ready. If you're looking for signs: they should have a golden-brown crust, feel light and not heavy or dense, and the bottom should be crispy and golden-brown, as well.