bagels 101  using a stand mixer
choose your flavor
this is for the dough portion only: whole wheat bagels: follow basic recipe , omitting sugar
use 3 tbsp honey instead
in place of flour , use 2 cups whole wheat flour , 1 / 2 cup wheat germ , and about 2 3 / 4 cup all purpose flour , blended together
knead with white flour
pumpernickel bagels: follow basic recipe , omitting sugar
use 3 tbsp dark molasses in place of sugar
in place of flour use 2 cups rye , 2 cups whole wheat , 1 3 / 4 cups all purpose flour blended together
knead with white flour
onion bagels: add 1 / 2 cup dried onion or 1 pkg lipton onion soup mix to the wet mixture before adding flour
the dough: using your kitchenaid with the dough hook attachement , combine the water , sugar , salt , and yeast
add 3 cups of the flour and then the remaining flour 1 / 2 cup at a time until a ball forms
knead for about 3 minutes , adding more flour a little at a time if necessary
when dough appears near desired consistency , knead in any additions for 1 minute or until incorporated
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suggestions: dried fruits , nuts , seeds , spices , chocolate morsels or shavings , or any combination of flavorings
knead in the ingredients until just combined , about 1 minute
place into a lightly oiled bowl , cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes
the shape: punch down dough and place on a floured work surface
use a food scale if you want consistency , and separate dough into balls
for 8 large , 12 regular , or 16
choose a shaping method and begin: 1) the finger 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
with the bagel on the floured counter , place your finger in the hole with the
2) 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
don't flatten them down
the 2nd rise: during the 2nd rising , the bagels will puff up slightly
place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
cover them with a plastic wrap that has been sprayed on one side with nonstick vegetable spray
place them in a draft free location and let them rise at room temperature until puffy , about 20 minutes
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 boil: fill a 5 quart soup pot with water 4 inches deep
drop bagels one at a time into the boiling water
boil about 3-4 at a time or only so many that they float freely , and are not crowded
simmer for 30 seconds , turning with a slotted spatula
when you remove them , the bagels will be top side up and slide off your spatula for draining and adding toppings
remove and place them gently on a lightly greased cooling rack for a few minutes to drain
the glaze: choose your glaze and brush tops before placing them in the oven: 1) water glaze: spray bagels at the beginning of the baking , again 5 minutes after placing them in the oven and again near the end of baking
a spray with room-temperature tap water will yield a subtle glaze
2) nonstick cooking spray glaze: spray before placing in the oven and again about 5 minutes before baking time is completed
nonstick cooking spray goes on more evenly than using a brush and yields an even glaze
3) egg glaze: mix together 1 egg with 1 tbs
water , milk , or cream
brush it on the bagels before they are put into the oven
4) cornstarch glaze: dissolve 2 tbs
cornstarch in 1 / 4 cup cold water
bring 1 cup water to a boil and whisk the dissolved solution into the boiling water until it thickens
brush it on the bagel tops at the beginning of the baking and again as soon as you remove the bagels from the oven for a very high shine
the toppings: a variety of toppings can be added to the bagel before baking , either directly to the dough after settling , or after the bagel is glazed
use as much or as little topping as you like
to brush the toppings on , use a ratio of 2-1 dry ingredients / 1 water or oil
variations: onion- use dehydrated onion flakes or packaged onion soup mix
3) seeded- sprinkle boiled bagels with sesame seed , poppy seed , or caraway seed after using glaze and prior to baking
poppy , caraway , sesame and celery seeds can be used directly from the jar
just dip the bagels into a dish of seeds or sprinkle seeds on top
4) toasted nuts: using them on bagels enhances their flavor
walnuts , almonds , pecans or hazelnuts can be used on bagels as toppings and also added to the dough at the beginning or before they are shaped and rise the second time
5) oats / grains: sprinkle with rolled oats or multigrain cereal , which will brown while baking
the bake: preheat the oven to 400f choose your baking surface then continue on to the steaming
1) baking sheet: line a baking sheet with parchment paper
place bagels on the shelf just below the middle in the oven
2) baking stone: place the stone on the lowest rack in your oven while preheating the oven
sprinkle cornmeal on the stone
transfer un-baked bagels to the hot surface using a wooden peel , or any flat instrument with a long handle so you don't burn yourself
wear heavy padded gloves
now for steaming : place a heavy pan in the very bottom of your oven while it is preheating
place the bagels in the oven and then pour cold water or half a dozen ice cubes into the pan and spray the sides of the oven with water from a spray mist bottle when you place the bagels inside
bake for 20-40 minutes until the tops are a light golden brown
storing bagels: bagels are best when they're eaten fresh from the oven while still warm
once cooled , keep them in a brown paper bag for up to 12 hours
any longer , and freezing is recommended
slice them horizontally before freezing
place the halves in a ziploc freezer bag and place in freezer
thaw bagels on the kitchen counter in a plastic bag for about 15 minutes or toast directly from the freezer
what if a few bagels get stale ? put them into your blender or food processor and grind them into bread crumbs
none of the tasty bread need ever go to waste !