Bagels

Total Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 4 1/4-4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water (110: to 115)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Recipe

• 1 in a mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast.
• 2 combine warm water, the 3 tbsp sugar and the salt. pour over the flour mixture. beat at low speed of electric mixer for about 30 seconds scraping the bowl as you mix. beat 3 minutes at high speed.
• 3 stir in as much remaining flour as you can mixing with a spoon.
• 4 turn out onto a lightly floured surface. knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (knead 6-8 minutes total). cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• 5 cut into 12 portions; shape each into a smooth ball. punch a hole in the center of each. pull gently to make a 1 1/2-2-inch hole.
• 6 place on a greased baking sheet. cover, let rise 20 minutes.
• 7 broil 5 inches from heat 3-4 minutes, turning once (tops should not brown).
• 8 heat 1 gallon of water and 1 tbsp of sugar to boiling; reduce heat. cook 4 or 5 bagels at a time for 7 minutes, turning once; drain.
• 9 place on a greased baking sheet. bake at 375: in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
• 10 light rye bagels prepare bagels as above. except substitute 1 1/2 cups rye flour for the first 1 1/4 cups of the all-poupose flour.
• 11 herb bagels prepare bagels as above, except add 2 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed or 1 tsp dried dill; or 1 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed; or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder to the flour-yeast mixture.
• 12 onion bagels prepare as above except cook 1/2 cup finely chopped onion in 3 tbsp butter till tender but not brown. brush onion mixture over tops of bagels after first 15 minutes of baking.
• 13 poppy or sesame seed bagels prepare bagels as above except before baking brush tops with beaten egg; sprinkle with the seed.