*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                 ABOUT BAGELS -- GENERAL DIRECTIONS 3 B

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Breads

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                       Text

 Shape using any of the following methods:

 HOLE IN THE MIDDLE METHOD: Roll each piece of dough
 into a ball, poke a floured finger through the center
 to form the hole, and then shape top and smooth sides.
 Moisten your finger with water, if necessary to
 smooth. Pull gently to enlarge hole. The resulting
 bagel is smooth and there is no joint.

 OR, press the round on your floured board. Using the
 index fingers of both hands, poke a hole an pull dough
 until the hole is large, and then round out the bagel
 and smooth the top and edges.

 THE HULA HOOP AROUND THE FINGER METHOD: Create a
 circle without a joint by flattening a ball of dough
 slightly into a round shape, folding the bottom edge
 under and smoothing it until it looks like a mushroom
 top. With a floured index finger, make a hole in the
 center of the circle from the bottom up. Twirl the
 circle around your index finger, or two fingers, like
 a hula-hoop, to widen the hole. Pull out and shape the
 round.

 THE ROPE METHOD: Roll each piece of dough into a rope
 by rolling it on the bread board or between your
 hands. Wrap the rope around four fingers, overlap and
 join the ends, and turn the circle inside out. Until
 you get this hand movement down pat, you may have to
 moisten the ends to hold them together. Initially the
 length may be lumpy and the joint will show. It takes
 practice.

 OR, roll dough into 30" lengths, cut each length into
 thirds (each 10" long) and join the ends. If you
 become proficient at this hand-made method, make 10"
 marks on the edge of your bread board so your bagels
 will be a consistent size.

 BAGEL CUTTER METHOD: Roll dough out to a flat shape
 about 1/2" thick. Cut with a bagel cutter and smooth
 the tops over the sides so they're rounded, using a
 little water on your fingers to smooth, if necessary.
 Knead scraps again, reroll and cut into as many more
 bagels as there is dough. If you don't have a bagel
 cutter, use a wide champagne glass to cut out the
 outside. Cut the inside hole with the edge of a
 cordial glass or the small end of a measuring jigger.
 Any leftover dough can be rolled into two strips and
 made into a bagel twist (separate recipe), sealing
 ends with a dab of water so they don't untwist while
 boiling and baking.

 Place shaped bagels on the greased baking sheet for
 the second rise, spacing them at least an inch apart
 to allow for the second rise. Proceed to Step 3:
 Second Rise.

 STEP 3: SECOND RISE

 During the second rising of the dough, the bagels will
 puff up on the greased baking sheet. cover them with a
 length of plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick vegetable
 spray or a very lightly dampened cloth such as a tea
 towel. Place them in a draft free location and let
 them rise at room temperature until puffy, about 20
 minutes.

 NOTE:  Bagels can be refrigerated at this point,
 should you decide to boil and bake them later, or the
 next morning. Leave them covered so they do not dry
 out. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to warm
 slightly while you boil water and preheat the oven.

 The second rise can be speeded up by using the
 microwave. Fill a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup
 with water and bring the water to a boil. Place in a
 corner of the microwave. Place the baking sheet of
 covered bagels in the microwave and close the door,
 but so not turn on the microwave. The bagels should
 rise in a bout 6 minutes. (It won't matter if the
 sheet is metal because you don't turn on the oven.)

 Or, spray shaped tops of dough with water. Place
 bagels on a microwave-safe surface and heat in the
 microwave on LOW or DEFROST setting for 3 minutes;
 rest for 3 minutes. Repeat heating and resting until
 bagels are puffy.

 Proceed to Step 4: Boil or "kettle".

 CONTINUED IN ABOUT BAGELS -- GENERAL DIRECTIONS 4

 The Best Bagels are made at home by Dona Z. Meilach

 ISBN 1-55867-131-5

 Carolyn Shaw April 1996 From: Homenet Cook



                  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -