Golden Sourdough Bagels with Maple Glaze

Instructions

1. 1

   FEED YOUR STARTER: In a clean jar, combine 50g starter, 50g bread flour, and 50g room temperature water. Stir well until no dry flour remains. The mixture should look like thick pancake batter. Cover loosely and let rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours until doubled in size, bubbly throughout, and passes the float test - your starter is now ready to create incredible bagels!

2. 2

   MIX THE DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, combine 300g room temperature water and 120g active starter. Stir vigorously until the starter completely dissolves - no lumps should remain. Add 10g salt, 10g maple syrup and stir until dissolved. Add all 500g bread flour at once and mix with a silicone spatula until you have a shaggy, slightly sticky dough with no dry flour visible. This dough will be firmer than typical sourdough - that's perfect for bagels!

3. 3

   STRETCH & FOLDS: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 45-60 minutes apart. For each set: wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat 3 more times. The dough will become smoother and more elastic with each set. After the final fold, you'll notice the dough holds its shape beautifully - this is building the gluten structure that gives bagels their signature chew!

4. 4

   COLD OVERNIGHT BULK FERMENT: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-16 hours. The cold fermentation develops complex flavors while slowing down the process, making tomorrow's shaping much easier. The dough will grow slowly in the fridge, becoming more manageable and developing that signature sourdough tang that makes these bagels special.

5. 5

   PRE-SHAPE: Remove dough from refrigerator and turn onto a lightly floured work surface. The cold dough should feel firm and manageable. Gently stretch the dough into a long rectangular log, being careful not to deflate it completely. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut into 6 equal pieces (about 135g each). Working with one piece at a time, create tight balls by cupping your hand over each piece and moving in small circles against the unfloured surface to build tension.

6. 6

   BENCH REST: Arrange the shaped balls on your work surface, leaving space between each one. Lightly flour the tops to prevent sticking, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and place a kitchen towel on top. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. This allows the cold, tight gluten to relax, making the final shaping much easier. You'll know they're ready when they feel slightly softer and more pliable to the touch.

7. 7

   FINAL SHAPE INTO BAGELS: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with one ball at a time, poke your thumb straight through the center, creating a hole. Gently stretch and rotate the dough around your fingers, gradually widening the hole to about 2 inches in diameter - remember, it will shrink during proofing and baking. The bagel should look like a thick ring with even thickness all around. Place shaped bagels on the prepared sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart.

8. 8

   FINAL PROOF: Cover the bagels lightly with a damp towel and let proof at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, until they're nearly doubled in size and feel light and airy when gently lifted. They should spring back slowly when poked gently with a floured finger. The holes might close slightly - this is normal and perfect for authentic bagels!

9. 9

   BOIL, GLAZE & BAKE: Preheat oven to 500°F with steam setup (place a metal pan on bottom rack). Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 1 tablespoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons maple syrup. Gently lower bagels into boiling water, 2-3 at a time, boiling 45 seconds per side - they should float immediately. Remove with slotted spoon, drain briefly, and place back on parchment-lined pan. Mix equal parts oat milk and maple syrup, brush over bagels, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything seasoning. Add steam to oven, bake 20 minutes, remove steam source, reduce to 425°F and bake 30 more minutes until deep golden brown.