*  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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