The Great American Bagel

I have to admit that I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the bagel. When I was a kid, mom would buy bagels occasionally, and I thought eating them with cream cheese was a real treat. Somewhere around the time I graduated from high school, I realized you could make them yourself, and I actually made them quite often. After I graduated from college, I couldn't find a job and ended up working in a bagel shop. It was a very traumatic experience, and for quite a while after I quit working there, I couldn't stand the sight of a bagel.

While I no longer loath the lowly bagel, I think today is the first time I have made them since I worked in the shop. Progress? I think so. Anyhow, I thought I would share the recipe I use. I believe my sister gave it to me, but I don't know where the recipe came from before that.

Bagels
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1 pkg yeast
2 eggs
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt

16 cups water
2 tbsp sugar

Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Whisk in eggs with oil. Beat in 2 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt until smooth. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.

Turn out onto floured surface, knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic and dough springs back when poked with finger. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled.

Punch down dough, knead several times. Divide into 12 equal portions, roll each into 12-inch rope, covering pieces with tea towel as you work.

Bring ends of dough together over-lapping by about 1 inch and stretching the overlap around other end to meet underneath, pinch firmly to seal. Place on floured baking sheet, cover and let rise 15 minutes.

In wide saucepan or Dutch oven, bring water to boil. Add sugar. Slip bagels into water 3 or 4 at a time. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Turn, cook for 1 minute more. Using a slotted spatula, remove bagels to well-greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden and bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Cool.




Here's a picture of my final product. I thought they turned out quite well, and am glad I decided to make them today.