Bagels Vs. English Muffins – What Is The Difference?
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Bagels and muffins are the go-to breakfast for Americans. Both are tasty treats with different toppings. If you have never eaten a bagel or English muffin before, you might wonder Bagels vs. English muffins which one is better and what makes them different?
The oblivious difference between bagels and English muffins is that bagels have a hole in the center. The biggest difference is their nutritional value. A bagel can contain 400 to 500 calories, while an English muffin contains only 120 calories.
The differences between these tasty snacks do not end here. As you read further about their characteristics, you will learn more about these delicious snacks. I will also discuss some basic instructions for baking bagels and English muffins as well. So, keep on reading.
Bagels vs. English Muffins: History and Cultural Differences
Although the key ingredient of bagels and English muffins is flour, they have unique tastes and characteristics. Here is what you need to know about them to see the differences:
Bagels
Bagels are popular in America, but their origin is from Poland. It is a donut-shaped bread product leavened with yeast. Bagels were first produced as an attribute to the king of Poland in the late 1600s. They arrived in the USA through Jewish immigrants from Poland in the late 19th century.
Although the snacks were limited only among Jewish communities, they spread rapidly all around America after the invention of industrial bagel-making machines in the 1960s.
In the past, bagels used to be sold on the streets stacked up on poles or hung from strings. Hence, they had holes on them, and following the tradition, modern-day bagels also have holes. Interestingly, people called bagels the Jewish English muffins.
A regular bagel is made with flour, water, salt, yeast, and malt. These ingredients are mixed, and shaped like rings. Then, apply the oil and bake the rings. The bagels become crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They have a slightly sweet and salty taste.
As bagels are a kind of bread product, Americans love to eat bagels for breakfast at home and streets while they are on the go. People eat bagels with or without toppings. Cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, and jams are the most popular toppings for bagels. Although bagels have very little nutrient value and a lot of calories, Americans still love them.
English Muffins
Same as Bagels, English muffins came from a different country, which is England. This round yeast-leavened bake cake was probably made in the 10th century in Wales. Again same as Bagels, they arrived in the USA in the late 19th century. A British immigrant Samuel Bath Thomas sold these English muffins first time in New York.
The main ingredients of a traditional muffin are flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar, butter, milk, and egg. All of them are mixed to prepare the special dough for English muffins. After that, the dough is divided into small round shape pieces for muffins.
The specially prepared dough creates the nooks and crannies inside the English muffin. These air pockets soak the butter and other spreading inside. They get slightly crispy on the outside but stay soft on the inside.
Like bagels, English muffins are a popular breakfast and afternoon snack. These round pieces of bread are mostly eaten with sweet or savory toppings like honey, fruit jams, butter, cheese, eggs, sausages, and bacon.
Other ingredients like raisins, blubbery, and cranberry are also used in preparing English muffins. The dough for English muffins is usually made from normal wheat, whole wheat, sourdough, or multigrain. In terms of nutrient values, English muffins are superior to bagels. An English muffin is healthier as it contains fewer calories than a bagel.
How to Bake Bagels?
You can make homemade bagels with common ingredients and tools at home. I learned a recipe from Sally’s baking addiction. I use the following ingredients to prepare the dough for my homemade bagels:
- Bread flour- 4 cups
- Yeast- 2 and 3/4 teaspoons
- Warm water- 1 and 1/2 cups (between 100-110°F)
- Sugar- 1 tablespoon
- Salt- 2 tablespoon
I use a mixer to prepare the dough. You can also use your hand. If you are preparing a lot of bagels, you should knead the dough with your hands. After kneading the dough for a few minutes, I leave it to rise for 60 to 90 minutes. Next, divide the dough into small pieces.
Now, to create the hole in the center, you can puncture it with a round shape lid or use your hands. When I have time, I use my hands to poke the center of the dough ball with my fingers and roll it to create a hole.
When the bagels are shaped, I boil them on each side of the dough for 1 minute. Boiling the dough helps to keep its shape in the oven. I often add honey to the boiling water to give a caramelized flavor to the bagels.
To bake the bagels, I brush both sides with egg wash. Next, I bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Once the bagels get their golden brown color, I take them out. Then I can slice the bagels and top them with any toppings.
How to Bake English Muffins?
I got this super easy recipe for homemade English muffins from the internet. You can follow it to prepare some tasty homemade English muffins at home. I use these ingredients:
- All-purpose flour -6 cups
- Active dry yeast- .25 ounce
- Milk- 1 cup
- White sugar- 2 tablespoons
- Warm water-110 degrees F
- Melted shortening- ¼ cup
- Salt- 1 tablespoon
I boil the milk until it bubbles. Then add sugar and keep stirring to completely dissolve it. On the other hand, I dissolve yeast in warm water to create a creamy paste while the milk is cooling down. After that, I mix the milk, yeast mixture, and 3 cups of flour. The flour is bitten, and when it gets smooth, I add salt with the other 3 cups of flour.
I knead the mixture well to prepare the dough for the English muffins. Then, I place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a cloth. After the dough rises, I make small dough pieces. Finally, you can either bake them in the oven or cook them on a griddle.
Thus, you can enjoy freshly homemade English muffins with different toppings.
Nutrition Difference Between Bagels and English Muffins
People most often enjoy bagels with different toppings. Thus, the number of calories can vary. However, a traditional bagel has about 400 to 500 calories. For example, a bagel topped with cream cheese or butter can have 500 calories, up to 7 grams fat, 10 grams protein, and 85 carbs. Then there is also sodium and sugar.
If you want to cut off the calories, have small-sized bagels. Even these contain 250 calories!
Hence, English muffins are the best choice for health benefits. An English muffin contains only 120-130 calories, 1 gram of fat, 24 grams of carbohydrate, and 4 grams of protein.
Which One Is A Better Choice?
In terms of taste, English muffins and bagels offer unique tastes. However, if you want to cut off some calories to reduce weight, English muffins are the ones for you. You can add them as an alternative to bread on your breakfast table.
It does not mean bagels should be off the table. You can enjoy one or two bagels on special occasions. But remember to control the calorie intake.
