Jewish · Authentic-ish Jewish
Jerusalem Bagels
523 kcal a serving, against 548 for the traditional version. That is 25 kcal off, or 5%, with 15g of protein. Serves 6. 2 hours plus rising.
What the traditional version is
Oval loaves made from white bread dough, shaped into rings or ovals and dipped in sugar water before baking. Each is rolled in sesame seeds till it's completely covered, then baked hot so the crust comes out sticky and shiny. The glaze is the first thing you notice - it's sweet, a bit tacky, and the seeds cling tightly.
What changed, and what each change costs
Sugar water glaze replaced with a plain water wash
The sugar syrup is there for shine and sweetness, not structure. Skipping it means cutting out all that extra sugar, which your body doesn't care about but your tastebuds will. The crust browns less and picks up a duller finish.
What it costs you. You lose the sticky glaze entirely, so it's more honest bread than showstopper. Without that tackiness, the sesame seeds shed at the slightest provocation. The top just looks matte. It's like seeing your mate in sweatpants instead of a suit.
White flour unchanged
Tried part wholemeal and all that. The result is a brick, not a bagel. There's no protein win in swapping plain flour for anything else here unless you want to ruin the whole thing. Sometimes a flour just has the one job.
What it costs you. Bagel stays light and open instead of becoming a dense loaf, but there's no extra protein. If you want more fibre, eat a salad after.
Reduced added sugar in the dough from 30g to 10g
Bagel dough is only slightly sweet. Losing two-thirds of the sugar won't change the rise, just give a less pronounced flavour in the crumb. It's subtle, but you'll notice if you eat them side by side.
What it costs you. The dough tastes less luxurious. You'd only miss the sugar if you're a connoisseur, but the crust misses it more.
Sesame seeds held steady
There's no sensible way to cut them and keep this a Jerusalem bagel. Take them away and it's just a roll with identity issues.
What it costs you. No change. You still have to clean seeds off your jumper at the end.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 548 | 523 |
| Protein | 15g | 15g |
| Fat | 7.9g | 7.9g |
| Saturated fat | 1.1g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 103.5g | 96.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.7g | 2.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Jewish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, sesame.
The method is in the book
The original is better, but not by a landslide. You'll miss the sticky glaze and the crust's sweet crackle. The version here is honest, a bit less special, and certainly plainer looking - but it's still a fresh, sesame crusted bread that works for breakfast or with mezze. If you want it shiny, stick them in a window; if you want it lighter, this is as good as honesty gets. Nobody ever called a Jerusalem bagel flawless anyway.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Jewish, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.