Sourdough Blueberry Bagels
248kcal
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Levain (Night Before)
- 10 g Sourdough starter
- 50 g Water
- 50 g Bread flour
Stiff Blueberry Dough
- 550 g Bread flour (100%) (+/- 50 g extra flour if needed)
- 225 g Water (40%)
- 100 g Active sourdough starter (18% – from the build above)
- 40 g Sugar (7%)
- 10 g Salt (2%)
- 100 g Frozen blueberries thawed (or blueberry purée)
- 0.5 g Instant yeast optional, to reduce sourness
Boiling Bath & Baking
- 1 gallon Water
- Parchment paper + oil spray
Equipment
- Stand Mixer fitted with dough hook
- Wide Pot for boiling bath
- Baking Sheet & Parchment Paper
- Slotted Spoon
Method
Night Before: Build Levain
- Combine 10 g starter with 50 g water and 50 g bread flour in a glass jar. Cover loosely and let ferment at 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until peak volume (tripled in size).
Mix & Bulk Ferment Dough
- In your stand mixer bowl, combine 225 g water, 40 g sugar, 100 g peak starter, thawed blueberries, 10 g salt, 550 g bread flour (and optional yeast).
- Mix with dough hook until ingredients come together completely and blueberries are incorporated into the dough matrix.
- Cover and let bulk ferment at room temperature for 3–4 hours until lighter with bubbles on top, performing a couple of folds during the rise.
Divide, Shape & Cold Proof
- Turn dough onto an unfloured work surface. Flatten lightly and divide into 10 equal pieces (~100 g each).
- Round each piece into a smooth, tight ball and let rest 10–15 minutes.
- Poke a hole through the center of each ball with your finger and stretch outward until the center gap measures roughly 2 inches.
- Place shaped pitas onto a parchment-lined baking tray sprayed with oil.
- Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 1–1.5 hours at room temperature, then transfer tray to the refrigerator for 6–18 hours overnight cold retard.
Boil & Bake
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring 1 gallon of water to a steady boil in a wide pot.
- Drop 1–2 cold bagels into boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side (bagels will float within 10 seconds).
- Remove with a slotted spoon, place back onto the oiled parchment-lined sheet pan, and add desired seed/sugar toppings.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes at 425°F until deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories248kcalCarbohydrates51gProtein8gFat1gSaturated Fat0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat0.5gMonounsaturated Fat0.1gSodium409mgPotassium68mgFiber2gSugar5gVitamin A7IUVitamin C1mgCalcium22mgIron1mg
Notes
- The Fresh vs. Dried Blueberry Dynamic: If you choose to use fresh blueberries, they will naturally release moisture and burst slightly during the mechanical mixing stage, coloring your dough a lovely purple color. If you prefer a cleaner, uncolored dough matrix with intact fruit pockets, simply substitute the fresh berries dynamic-for-dynamic with 80g of plump dried blueberries instead.
- The Float Test Guardrail: If you are worried your bagels didn't proof enough during their cold night in the fridge, drop one shaped ring into a bowl of cold water before starting your boiling process. If it floats instantly to the surface, your yeast is perfectly active and ready to go. If it sinks like a stone, let the tray sit on your warm kitchen counter for 30 to 45 minutes to wake up before boiling.
- Why the Boiling Bath is Essential: Dropping the proofed rings into boiling water with baking soda and honey serves a vital chemical purpose. The intense heat instantly gelatinizes the starches on the exterior surface of the dough, locking the ring shape in place and preventing further expansion. This process ensures your bagels develop a thick, satisfyingly chewy outer shell rather than expanding into a soft, airy roll.
- Handling Low-Hydration Stiff Doughs: Do not be tempted to add extra splash streams of water during step 4 if the dough matrix looks incredibly dry or takes a while to clean the bowl. Authentic bagels demand a low-hydration structure to maintain their dense texture. Trust your stand mixer hook to steadily compress and smooth the ingredients together on low speed.