I’ll start out by saying this: nobody lives in the World Capital of Bagels for as long as I did without those delicious baked goods becoming a deeply emotional food. Now and forever, bagels are to me a comfort food in the purest sense of the word: they bring joy to my soul and remind me of early morning runs to St Viateur or Fairmount (pick your fighter).

But I now live in the land of baguettes so I’m stuck with buying bulk when I go home or making them myself.
And in this pandemic-ridden year, the later is the only viable option.

Now listen, I KNOW bagels are supposed to be boiled before they are baked.
But I’m not a purist and also I don’t have enough free time on my hands for that type of endeavor. 

So by popular demand, here is a recipe that I built from a variety of tests and taking some inspiration from some fab people on the internet.

Makes exactly 4 bagels, so I tend to double the recipe.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 1/3 cup flour (160g)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt (not regular yogurt) (about two individual pots)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Toppings: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic powder, chili flakes… your pick!

How to make them:

  • Preheat oven at 190C. Line a pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a bowl, whisk flour with baking powder and salt.
  • Add the yogurt and mix until perfectly combined. If the dough feels too sticky to be manipulated, add some flour. 
  • Set dough on a floured surface and kneed it, adding some extra flour if necessary. Rule of thumb, when you are done, you should not have dough left on your fingertips. If so, add a little bit of flour.
  • Split the dough into 4 portions and roll each one out into a sausage-like shape, before closing them individually to form your bagels.
  • Set your bagels on the parchment paper and brush each one with your beaten egg. Sprinkle the toppings of your choice onto them.
  • Bake for 25 min, until golden. Let them sit for 15 min once they are done.
  • These can be frozen, so if you decide to go cray on a Sunday afternoon, bake them, slice them and then store them in a freezer bag. 

Best enjoyed with:

I’m not about to weigh in on the never-ending Cream Cheese VS The World debate here, but here are some general favorites:
– Understated: Salted Butter
– The Real MVP: Cream Cheese
– Fancy: Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon / Trout Gravlax
– Lazy Mornings: with Egg Omelet, Aged Gouda and a touch of hot sauce (Dawson’s Big Smoke being the only one worth mentioning).
– Late Night Comfort Food: halved, covered in ripe cheddar and broiled until bubbly. Top with chili flakes.
– Peter Pan Syndrome: Peanut Butter and Jelly.
– Sounds Weird but it’s Lovely: with Egg Salad and Lettuce.