The idea was straightforward. Everything bagel seasoning is already one of the best things you can put on bread, so why not make it part of the loaf itself. Coat the outside so the garlic and onion toast against the Dutch oven. Let the seeds press into the crust as it bakes and crack.

The result is closer to a bagel than you'd expect from a loaf this open. The crust carries the full hit of the seasoning, and the crumb has the chew and tang of a well-fermented sourdough underneath it.

Formula#

Ingredient	Weight	Baker's %
Bread flour	500g	100%
Water	390g	78%
Starter (active)	100g	20%
Fine sea salt	10g	2%
Everything bagel seasoning (coating)	~40g	-

Salt is reduced in the everything bagel seasoning coating itself, so the 2% in the dough stays the same.

On the Seasoning#

Make your own or use a store-bought blend. If you're making it, the ratio I use is 2 parts sesame seeds, 2 parts poppy seeds, 1 part dried minced garlic, 1 part dried minced onion, and 1 part flaked sea salt. Toasting the sesame seeds beforehand deepens the flavor noticeably.

The coating goes on just before baking. You'll have leftover seasoning. Save it.

Mix and Bulk Fermentation#

Standard mix. Combine flour and water, autolyse for 30 to 45 minutes. Add starter and salt together, working them fully into the dough.

Four sets of stretch and folds over the first 2 hours. The dough should feel smooth and extensible by the end of folding. Bulk ferment for 5 hours total at 76°F, or until you see 50 to 60% rise and clear signs of fermentation activity at the surface and edges.

Shaping and Coating#

Pre-shape into a round and bench rest for 20 to 25 minutes. Final shape into a tight boule.

Coat the shaped loaf immediately before it goes into the banneton. Mist the top of the loaf lightly with water or brush it with a thin coat of olive oil, then either press it seam-side-up into a plate of the seasoning or use your hands to press the seasoning firmly into the surface. You want it packed on, not lightly dusted. Turn the loaf seam-side-down into the banneton.

Cold proof overnight, 10 to 14 hours.

Baking#

Preheat your Dutch oven to 500°F for a full 45 minutes.

Flip the loaf from the banneton onto parchment and add any additional seasoning that fell off during proofing. Score across the top with a curved cut or a single open slash.

Bake covered at 500°F for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and drop to 450°F. Bake uncovered for another 22 to 25 minutes. The loaf is done when the crust is deep golden-brown and the seeds are toasted. Pull it before the garlic bits darken too far.

Rest for 1.5 hours before slicing.

How to Eat It#

Toasted, with cream cheese and a thin slice of smoked salmon. That's the answer. But it's also exceptional as the bread in an egg sandwich, or sliced and eaten next to a bowl of soup. The savory, garlicky crust makes it want to be paired with something rich and soft.

It keeps well for two to three days. The crust softens slightly but the seasoning flavor actually intensifies overnight.