The Basic Bagel

* Exported from MasterCook *

THE BASIC BAGEL

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 c Warm water (100 to 115
-deg.F)
2 pk Active dry yeast
3 tb Sugar
3 ts Salt
About 5 3/4 cup all-purpose
-flour (unsifted)
3 qt Water with 1 Tbl sugar
Cornmeal
1 Egg yolk beaten with 1 Tbl
-water

Combine water and yeast in the large bowl of an
electric mixer; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and
salt; gradually mix in 4 cup of the flour. Beat at
medium speed for 5 minutes. With a spoon, mix in about
1 1/4 cups more flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out
on a floured board and knead until smooth, elastic,
and no longer sticky, about 15 minutes; add more flour
as needed (dough should be firmer than for most other
yeast breads). Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let
rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 40
minutes. Knead dough lightly, then divide into 12
equal pieces. To shape, knead each piece, forming it
into a smooth ball. Holding ball with both hands, poke
your thumbs through the center. With one thumb in the
hole, work around perimeter, shaping bagel like a
doughnut, 3 to 3 1/2 inches across. Place shaped
bagels on a lightly floured board, cover lightly, and
let stand in a warm place for 20 minutes. Bring the
water-sugar mixture to boiling in a 4 or 5 quart pan;
adjust heat to keep it boiling gently. Lightly grease
baking a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Gently lift one bagel at a time and drop into water;
boil about 4 at a time, turning often, for 5 minutes.
Lift out with a slotted spatula, drain briefly on a
towel, and place on the baking sheet. Brush bagels
with the egg yolk glaze and bake in a 400 deg.F oven
for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until well browned and
crusty. Cool on a rack. Makes 12.

WHOLE WHEAT BAGELS -----+-----+------ Follow basic
recipe, omitting sugar; use 3 Tbl honey instead. In
place of the flour, use 2 cups whole wheat, 1/2 cup
wheat germ, and about 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour.
Mix in all the whole wheat flour and wheat germ and 1
1/4 cups all-purpose flour before beating dough. Then
mix in about 1 1/2 cups more all-purpose flour, knead,
and finish as directed.

PUMPERNICKEL BAGELS *+* Follow basic recipe, omitting
sugar; instead use 3 Tbl dark molasses. In place of
the flour use 2 cups each rye and whole wheat and
about 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. Add all the rye
and 1 cup each of the whole wheat and all-purpose
before beating dough. Then add remaining 1 cup of
whole wheat and about 3/4 cup more all-purpose flour,
knead, and finish as directed.

MORE BAGEL VARIETY ----+-----+------- Try adding 1/2
cup instant toasted onion to the whole wheat or basic
bagels; add it to the yeast mixture along with the
sugar and salt. Or sprinkle 1/2 tsp poppy or sesame
seed or 1/4 tsp coarse salt on each glazed bagel
before baking. Or add 1 Tbl caraway seed to
pumpernickel bagels, then sprinkle each glazed bagel
with 1/2 tsp more caraway seed before baking.



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