A bialy is a Jewish bread with a shallow well filled with soft onion and poppy seeds, not a bagel. It is never boiled and has no hole.

How is a bialy different from a bagel?

A bialy is distinct from a bagel because it is never boiled, it has no hole, and its center is a shallow well filled with soft onion and poppy seeds, unlike a bagel's dense, chewy texture.

What are the characteristics of a properly baked bialy?

A properly baked bialy should have a chewy inside with a thin crisp crust, an aromatic savory center, a puffy golden rim, and a soft interior that tears.

What should the onion filling be like for bialys?

The onion filling for bialys should be soft and translucent, not browned or caramelized, to ensure a gentle and savory flavor that doesn't overpower the bread. It must also be cooled completely before filling.

Classic Bialys: Soft Dough, Shallow Onion Well, and Hot Fast Bake

Name: Classic Bialys: Soft Dough, Shallow Onion Well, and Hot Fast Bake
Prep time: 3 h 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 3 h 32 min
Yield: 8 bialys
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups bread flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon instant yeast; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 1/4 cups warm water at 110 degrees; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon poppy seeds; pinch of salt

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Overview

This video guides viewers through making classic bialys, a traditional Jewish bread distinct from bagels. It emphasizes a soft, lean dough, a shallow onion and poppy seed well, and a hot, fast bake. The result is a chewy interior with a thin, crisp crust and an aromatic savory center.

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Ingredients

3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water at 110 degrees
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
pinch of salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 1 1/4 cups warm water at 110 degrees and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly, and let it ferment at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size.
While the dough rises, dice 1 large onion finely. Sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and a pinch of salt. Set aside to cool completely.
Punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 3 ounces each. Round each piece into a smooth ball, place on a floured surface, cover with a towel, and rest 10 minutes.
Flatten each ball into a 4-inch disk. Press your thumbs firmly into the center to create a shallow well about 2 inches wide, leaving a puffy 1-inch rim around the edge.
Place the shaped bialys on parchment-lined sheet pans. Cover loosely and proof for 20 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cooled onion-poppy filling into each well. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until the rim is lightly golden and the bottom is firm when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Frequently asked questions

What is a bialy?: A bialy is a Jewish bread with a shallow well filled with soft onion and poppy seeds, not a bagel. It is never boiled and has no hole.
How is a bialy different from a bagel?: A bialy is distinct from a bagel because it is never boiled, it has no hole, and its center is a shallow well filled with soft onion and poppy seeds, unlike a bagel's dense, chewy texture.
What are the characteristics of a properly baked bialy?: A properly baked bialy should have a chewy inside with a thin crisp crust, an aromatic savory center, a puffy golden rim, and a soft interior that tears.
What should the onion filling be like for bialys?: The onion filling for bialys should be soft and translucent, not browned or caramelized, to ensure a gentle and savory flavor that doesn't overpower the bread. It must also be cooled completely before filling.
What is the correct oven temperature and bake time for bialys?: Bialys should be baked at 475 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until the rim is lightly golden and the bottom is firm when tapped, avoiding overbaking to maintain their chewy texture.

Transcript

Cuisine Host: The Onion Well: Welcome. Before we begin, a bialy is not a bagel. It is never boiled, it has no hole, and the center is a shallow well filled with soft onion and poppy seeds. The dough is soft and lean, the bake is hot and fast, and the result should be chewy inside with a thin crisp crust and an aromatic savory center. This is one of the oldest breads in the Jewish baking tradition, and it rewards patience and light hands.

Recipe Agent: Bialy Build Guide: Step 1: in a large bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 1 1/4 cups warm water at 110 degrees and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Chef: Dough & Onion Well Keeper: Step 2: turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but not sticky. If it clings to your hands, dust with a tiny bit of flour, but do not add too much or the bialys will be tough.

Cuisine Host: The Onion Well: Step 3: place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly, and let it ferment at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size. The dough should look puffy, airy, and alive when you uncover it.

Recipe Agent: Bialy Build Guide: Step 4: while the dough rises, make the filling. Dice 1 large onion finely. Saute in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Do not caramelize. Stir in 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and a pinch of salt. Set aside to cool completely.

Chef: Dough & Onion Well Keeper: Step 5: the onions must be soft and translucent, not brown or caramelized. A bialy filling is gentle and savory, not sweet. If the onions brown, they overpower the bread. And the filling must be cool before it goes into the wells, or it will melt the dough and destroy the shape.

Recipe Agent: Bialy Build Guide: Step 6: punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 3 ounces each. Round each piece into a smooth ball, place on a floured surface, cover with a towel, and rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes before shaping.

Chef: Dough & Onion Well Keeper: Step 7: flatten each ball into a 4-inch disk. Press your thumbs firmly into the center to create a shallow well about 2 inches wide, leaving a puffy 1-inch rim around the edge. The well should be thin enough to hold filling but must not be a hole. If the center puffs back, press it again. This is the defining shape of a bialy.

Cuisine Host: The Onion Well: Step 8: place the shaped bialys on parchment-lined sheet pans. Cover loosely and proof for 20 minutes. Then spoon 1 tablespoon of the cooled onion-poppy filling into each well. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Chef: Dough & Onion Well Keeper: Final step: bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until the rim is lightly golden and the bottom is firm when tapped. Do not overbake or the bialy will dry out and lose its chewy soul. Cool on a wire rack. The finished bialy should have a puffy golden rim, a shallow onion-filled center, and a soft, chewy interior that tears rather than crumbles.

Note: Informational only. Figures are a guide — verify before relying on them.