A fresh, chewy, aromatic bagel straight out of the oven is one of life’s most humble joys. Then there is the anticipation of waking up early and sneaking into the kitchen to pilfer the last bagel for breakfast, to find, to your horror, a stale bagel. 

As bread goes stale, the moisture initially baked into it disappears By following these simple steps you will recreate the boiling process that gives the coveted bread its signature chewy texture. Soft, fluffy bagels are on the horizon.

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How to revive a stale bagel

1. Have a quick scream into a pillow as you preheat your oven to 180 degrees (remember, no one knows you’re awake yet).
2. Gingerly fill a bowl with warm – not hot – water. If you’re making coffee, now would be a good time to fill the kettle to avoid the extra noise.
3. Briefly submerge your bagel into the bowl of warm water before loosely wrapping it in foil.
4. Pop it into the oven for about five minutes. Take your vitamins while you wait and feed the cat if it’s discovered your location. Do not let a stray meow give you away.
5. Once the five minutes is up – don’t set a noisy timer, you’ll need to count the minutes – you can either enjoy your newly revived bagel in its glorious chewy form or slice it in half and toast it. 
6. Schmear with your preferred spread then sit down just in time for your sleepy partner to ask “what’s for breakfast?”

Fun fact, this technique will work on day-old baguettes and bread rolls too – just don’t dunk them for as long as the bagels.

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