The original roll-with-a-hole design is hundreds of years old. Bagels are hand-shaped to form a ring of yeast raised wheat dough, which is first boiled for a short time in salted, sweetened water and then baked. But being an unabashed chocolatier I have no shame and added a taste of chocolate to the old standard recipe. The finished result is a dense, chewy, chocolate-flavored interior with a browned and crisp exterior. While ordinary bagels are often topped with seeds baked on the outer crust, I improvised with a coating of raw sugar giving each bagel a brûlée-style crust that is irresistible—just like me. Hey give me a break, it’s Valentine’s!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Proof Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 Bagels

Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour, divided in half
2 teaspoons malt powder
1/4 cup Choclatique Rouge Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup Choclatique Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornmeal, or as needed to prevent sticking
8 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons honey
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup crystalline or raw sugar

Directions:

1. Combine half of the flour with the malt, cocoa powder, yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover and set aside at room temperature until foamy and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
2. Stir in the salt, chocolate chips, sugar and the second half of the flour into the flour-water mixture. Knead with the dough hook of the stand mixer until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball that pulls away from the sides. This will take about 10 minutes.
3. Flour your hands, remove the dough and gently form it into a ball. Place it back in the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 8 equally-sized pieces, about 3.5 ounces each. Form each piece into a ball and poke a hole in the center, stretching to create an open and even-sized hole. Place on a floured surface, sprinkle with additional flour, cover with plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400º F.
6. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal.
7. Bring 8 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt and honey to a boil in a wide, deep pan. Working in batches, boil 2 to 3 bagels for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
8. Place bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and dip the tops into a small plate with the crystalline sugar. (I sometimes add a tablespoon of ground cinnamon to the raw sugar topping to get an extra measure of flavor).
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.

ChefSecret: You can make the dough a day in advance and let it slowly rise in the refrigerator overnight. Before boiling let it set out long enough to come to room temperature. Boiling is the way to get that old-fashioned New York bite. Chocolate Doctor