Bagels

A couple of nights ago my husband was working a night shift. So, what was a girl to do with herself the entire night? I decided that it was time to learn how to make new things. After searching for what might sound good, I came across a bagel recipe. I tweaked it a little to my liking. The results were amazing. When I took freshly baked bagels out of the oven and took a first bite, I did not want to put them down. They were warm and delicious; soft of the inside and crisp on the outside. I had to stop myself from devouring them all, so Demetrye could have some also.

When he came home in the morning and tasted them I knew I was in trouble. For the last two days that has been the only thing that he asked me to make for him. But let me stop rambling and let you try this recipe for yourself.

BAGELS

Ingredients
● 1 1/8 cups warm water
● 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
● 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
● 1 ½ tablespoons unbleached sugar
● 1 ½ teaspoons salt
● 2 teaspoons yeast
*If the dough comes out to be too soft, knead in a bit more flour.

Preparation
● Place all ingredients in a bread machine.
● Set for dough.
● Let the machine knead once. When it stops for the fist time, turn it off and let the dough sit and rise for 20 minutes.
● If you do not have a bread machine, mix all ingredient and knead by hand until all ingredients are mixed well. Then, let it sit for 20 minutes.
● After 20 minutes, divide dough into 8 pieces. I normally lightly grease the surface with olive oil and separate dough by hand.
● Roll each piece into a rope about 1 inch thick. Wet ends with water and stick together.
● Put all bagels on a greased baking sheet; cover and let rest for 15 minutes in a warm place.
● If you desire something other than plain bagels, you can mix in ingredients in two different ways: add your favorite ingredient in the dough from the beginning, and make the entire batch the same way, or, if you are like me and want a couple of different kinds, have your ingredient (such as onion or dates) chopped up and ready. When you have your 8 pieces, you can flatten each one and add the ingredient of your choice, and then roll it into a rope, making sure to seal the edges.
● If you like sesame seeds, sprinkle some on the surface, and, while rolling out dough, roll each piece in them, making sure they get set deep in the dough.
● Fill a cooking pot with about three inches of water. Place 2 tablespoons of sugar in water and bring to a boil.
● After the bagels rise for 15 minutes add them to the boiling water for 1 minute turning them as they boil.
● Drain and place on a greased baking sheet.
● Bake at 500º F for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown (check it at 10 minutes, and if they are not brown enough, add one more minute to your timer).
● Let bagels cool for a few minutes before serving.

ENJOY!!!