Montreal Style Bagels [Recipe]

Bread, Breakfast, Food, Lunch, Recipes, Savoury, Uncategorized / Friday, November 15th, 2024
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If you’ve been looking for a simple, time-efficient, dependable bagel recipe to make at home… I believe you have found it! This Montreal style bagel recipe is so simple (and fast!) to make, and I think you’re going to love it.

I’ve now single handedly made well over 1,000 of these bagels, so although I’m no bagel “Expert” (what makes a bagel expert, anyway?), I think you could say this recipe is “Tried and true.” And, as opposed to the 12-24 hour process that many require, these bagels are delicious and can be fresh from your oven in the span of 2 hours total. Yup, you read that correctly – 2 hours TOTAL!

Based on the famous Montreal bagel

I created this recipe to be based on the famous Montreal-style bagel, which is a chewy, slightly sweet, sesame covered bagel with a honey-gloss sheen on the crust.

Typically the Montreal bagels have a larger hole in the middle than mine, and they are made with barley malt syrup (a typical ingredient in any bagel recipe). However, I have adapted this recipe to suit my taste and readily-available ingredients.

What’s the difference between this recipe and traditional Montreal bagels?

There are 4 main differences between this recipe and the traditional Montreal style bagel. I’ll list them for you here:

  1. This recipe makes larger bagels with a smaller hole (better for making sandwiches)
  2. These bagels are made with honey and molasses instead of barley malt syrup
  3. You can use a normal oven rather than a wood fired oven for these bagels
  4. These bagels can be made with all-purpose flour instead of strictly using bread flour (which is what you would normally use to make bagels)

What’s the difference between Montreal bagels and New York bagels?

As I mentioned before, Montreal bagels are usually a little smaller, with a larger hole in the centre. They are usually boiled in honey water and baked in a wood fired oven. 

New York bagels, on the other hand, are often very large and puffy, with a small (sometimes almost invisible) hole in the centre. They are made with barley malt syrup in the dough and in the water for boiling them before they are baked.

The best kind of flour for making Montreal bagels

I have used both regular bread flour and all purpose flour for this recipe, and the bagels come out delicious either way. So, of those two options – feel free to use either one! 

Making sure the bagels turn out right

I have one thing to note before you dive into this project. That is, I recommend trying not to multi-task while you’re making Montreal bagels.

During the first rise, then sure – clean something, check your Facebook, write a poem, or whatever you would be likely to spend the time doing. After you shape the bagels, however, there’s plenty to keep you busy until they come out of the oven… so leave yourself some time in your schedule to make sure you can give them the attention that they need.

How to serve Montreal bagels

The best way to eat Montreal bagels is to grab one when they come out of the oven, fresh and warm. Then, dress it up, however you like it!

Personally I also love to go ahead and toast one of the bagels right away, and then I like to get myself a bunch of good cream cheese to go on it.

However you serve it, have yourself a little party when all is said and done. I think you’ll definitely have earned it!

To make Montreal bagels, you will need:

5 from 1 vote
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Montreal Style Bagels

An easy way to make Montreal style bagels at home... without special ingredients.

Course Breakfast, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Canadian
Servings 12
Author Naomi

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
  • 2 Tbsp oil olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp liquid honey
  • 1-1/2 tsp molasses fancy/table molasses or blackstrap - table molasses is my preference
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 5 cups all-purpose or bread flour
  • 1 cup raw sesame seeds

Poaching Syrup:

  • 1/2 cup liquid honey
  • 16 cups water (16 cups = 1 gallon)

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lukewarm water with sugar and yeast, and stir to dissolve (there may be small clumps that don't blend in very well - this is okay). Allow this mixture to rest about 10 minutes, or until slightly risen and bubbly.

  2. Add the oil, honey, molasses, salt, and beaten egg; stir to combine. Stir in the flour, and knead on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic, and allow to rise 1 hour or until doubled. 

    Note: To test if the dough is risen enough, stick your finger into the dough - if an indentation remains without shrinking back where your finger was, it is ready to use.

  3. While the dough is rising, combine the water and honey for the poaching syrup in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, just to keep it hot, until ready to use.

  4. When the dough has risen enough, punch it down to remove any air bubbles. Turn it out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 12 evenly divided portions (each should weigh about 100 grams).

  5. Roll each portion of dough into a long rope, about 12 inches long. Bring the ends together with about a 1-inch overlap, pinching the ends together firmly to seal. Roll over the pinched portion of dough a couple of times, with your hand in the hole of the bagel, to make the seam a little smoother and more uniform. Set the finished bagel onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and repeat with the other bagels until all 12 have been shaped. The holes in the centre of the just-shaped bagels should be large enough to fit a golf ball inside snugly.

    Note: If the dough is sticky, you can use a little flour on the work surface to prevent sticking. Also, I like to make my bagel holes a little smaller, so I usually roll them with 3 fingers in the hole - Using your whole hand makes the hole a little larger, which is actually more typical of a Montreal style bagel.

  6. Bring the poaching syrup back to a boil, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and allow the bagels to rest 10-20 minutes, or until about 1-1/2 times their original size. They won't look very much larger - just slightly more puffy. 

  7. Drop 3-5 bagels into the boiling poaching syrup (depending on the size of your pot - you want them to have room to expand without overlapping each other), and allow them to poach 1 minute on each side, but not longer. If anything, take the bagels out slightly before they reach the 1 minute mark per side. Lift the bagels out of the water using a slotted spoon or fork, allowing them to drip slightly before setting them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. The bagels should double in size during this step.

  8. Allow the bagels to cool slightly, and then re-attach the ends of any bagels that broke open during the poaching process. Using your hands, dip the bagels upside down into a bowl of sesame seeds to cover the tops. Place the seeded bagels back onto the parchment lined baking sheet. (The dough should be a sticky, spongy texture at this step.)

  9. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Recipe Notes

1 cup flour = 140 grams in this recipe.

1 & 2 – Proof the yeast & mix the wet ingredients 

2 – Add the flour, make the dough, and let it rise

5 & 6 – Shape the bagels & and allow them to rest

7 & 8 – Boil the bagels and dip them in sesame seeds


9 – Bake the bagels

 


More delicious bagel recipes:

I would love to hear how these turn out if you make them! Let me know in the comments, and as always, feel free to tag me in your photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial. 

Thanks for stopping in,

Naomi

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13 Replies to “Montreal Style Bagels [Recipe]”

  1. I love bagels, this is a great recipe, most do take 12-24 hours to make like you said, I can handle 2 hours!!! love all the images with the step by step instructions, great post and recipe

  3. 5 stars
    Delish! Thank You I have been wanting a go to bagel recipe for quite a while and this one is easyish, and oh so yum! First try…many more to follow. ❤️

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