What is a bagel?
A bagel is traditionally a hefty, dense ring of somewhat bland tasting
bread. But with different flours, such as rye and wheat, bagels take
on different tastes. Add raisins, blueberries, strawberries, dates
and nuts for a dessert-like bagel. Add veggies, onions, poppy seeds,
peanut butter and other ingredients for an infinite variety of taste
combinations.
The popularity of bagels is as much attributed to what you can put on
them and in them as to what you add to the unbaked dough. They are
the perfect vehicles for spreads. Most often spreads consist of a
cream cheese base that may be mixed with salmon or lox, fruits,
vegetables and spices -- in myriad combinations. There are regional
differences in how bagels are made, and ongoing arguments about what
constitutes the "perfect" bagel and best spread combination.
The traditional bagel sandwich consists of cream cheese, lox, a slice
of onion and a slice of tomato. But that's only the beginning. Bagel
sandwiches are so popular that bagel bakeries often list 40 or 50
sandwich variations on their menus. then there are mini bagels and
bialys. For catered bagel brunches, there are 3- to 6- pound bagels
that are filled and then cut into pie shaped wedges.
Bagels have a lot going for them. They don't crush or smash while
being carried; they don't melt from the heat or suffer from freezing.
They're at their optimum goodness when fresh and hot from out of the
oven, but they're delicious, too, even when frozen, thawed and
toasted. If they get stale, they can be made into bagel chips or
ground into bread crumbs. They're an all-around convenient, no-waste
food product that is well suited to today's health conscious
consumers.
The plain water bagel is low in calories compared to other traditional
breakfast foods. Estimates as to the number of calories in a bagel
differ, and its size is a factor. Most bagels weigh 4 to 5 ounces,
and tally up to between 150 to 200 calories. The addition of nuts,
raisins, berries, chocolate chips and other ingredients will add to
the count. I saw a cracked wheat bagel in a health food store that
had 320 calories. Some bagels weigh 6 ounces. Mini bagels may be 1 to
3 ounces, so the calories vary accordingly.
It's the toppings and spreads that shoot up the calorie tab, though
this can be tempered by using light and fat-free cheeses, and spreads
without cheese. A whopping dollop of cream cheese slapped onto each
half of a bagel (2 tablespoons of cream cheese have 10 grams of fat
and 100 calories) will wipe out the innocence of the plain bagel. Two
tablespoons of regular preserves (there are sugar free varieties,
too) can add on 50 calories but no fat. And peanut butter? Well, you
would rather not know, if you're counting calories and grams of fat.
Still, you're better off with bagels than with a doughnut, which has
176 calories and 11 grams of fat. A homemade bran muffin (not the
giant restaurant or bakery size) has 112 calories and 5 grams of fat.
A large croissant has 300 calories, 17 grams of fat and 85 milligrams
of cholesterol. The butter will do it every time. There is no butter
in a bagel recipe. Only egg bagels have cholesterol; even that can be
eliminated using egg whites instead of a whole egg (or 1/4 cup liquid
egg substitute). But a sweet roll with nut and raisin Danish filing,
and icing, can top them all with about 360 calories, 2.3 grams of fat
and 82.2 milligrams of cholesterol.
The Best Bagels are made at home Donna Z. Meilach ISBN 1-55867-131-5
Carolyn Shaw April 1996 From: Homenet Cook
ABOUT BAGELS -- GENERAL DIRECTIONS
The process is simple. Initially, the boiling procedure may seem
strange, but once you've done it, you'll wonder why you hesitated.
Just boil a pot of water as you would for spaghetti, and boil the
shaped bagel for about 2 minutes, turning once. Your first few bagels
may not come out round and smooth on top, but they'll taste good
anyway. Be patient. The second batch will look better; by the third,
you mat think you're ready to go into business.
Basically, these are the basic steps required to make bagels. We'll
go into each in detail.
1. Mix, knead and first rise: Mix flour, water, salt, sugar (or malt
or honey) and yeast, knead them and let the dough rise for about an
hour. Mixing and kneading can be done in a bread machine, a food
processor, a heavy duty mixer, or by hand. this same procedure is
used to make any yeast bread.
2. Shape bagels: Form the dough into the traditional bagel shape by
rolling, poking a hole in a ball or using a bagel cutter.
3. Second rise: Allow a short rest and second rise period, about 20
minutes.
4. Boil or "kettle": Drop the bagels into boiling water for 1 to 3
minutes and drain. You can bake immediately or refrigerate for 1 to
24 hours.
5. Glaze and apply topping: This step is not essential to the final
product.
6. Bake: Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 35 minutes.
STEP 1: MIX, KNEAD AND FIRST RISE:
The Bread Machine:
The bread machine yields excellent results every time when you use
fresh ingredients and follow directions. Set the machine on "dough
cycle", and let it produce a dough with the texture of velvet and the
stiff consistency required.
When using a bread machine, add ingredients in the order recommended
in your manufacturer's instructions. The recipes in this series have
ingredients listed for machines that require adding liquids first and
dry components last.
Reverse the order for those that add dry ingredients first and wet
ones last. Process on the "dough mode," or "program", or "mix bread
cycle" or whatever it is termed by your machine's instructions. Allow
the dough to rise through the full first rise period after the
kneading phase, between 35 minutes and 1 hour.
On shorter cycles, and depending on the weather and moisture of the
ingredients, you may have to leave it in the machine for 10 or 15
minutes longer, or until the dough fills about 2/3 of the pan. Whole
grain flours may require up to 1 to 2 hours for the first rise. Do
not allow the dough to bake in the machine.
Dry ingredients such as spices, cinnamon, nutmeg and finely chopped
nuts are added with the fours at the beginning. Wet ingredients such
as mashed bananas, applesauce, pumpkin, grated carrots and frozen
berries are added with the liquids, but if you add more wet
ingredients to the recipes in this series, their liquid content must
replace an equal amount of liquid. Adding raisins and other dried
fruits at the beginning is not recommended; most bread machines
pulverize them so they're hardly visible in the finished bagel.
Check dough about 5 minutes after you have started the machine. The
dough should form a nice round ball. If a ball doesn't form, and the
mixture appears crumbly, add water, a tablespoon or less at a time,
until the correct consistency is achieved. If dough looks too wet or
formless, add flour, a tablespoon or less at a time, until the dough
forms a ball.
Add ingredients such as raisins, dates, chocolate chips and apple
pieces about 5 to 8 minutes before the end of the kneading phase.
Some machine beep to indicate the optimum time to add nuts or
raisins. Check your manufacturers instructions for the time required
for each process in the dough cycle. If your machine does not provide
this timed signal, determine the length of the kneading phase and set
a timer for 5 minutes before the end; then open the machine and
carefully add the ingredients, being sure that they do not spill onto
the heating elements. Ingredients can also be kneaded into the dough
by hand after it is removed from the machine.
NOTE: When adding reconstituted dried foods to the dough in a bread
machine (5 to 10 minutes before the end of the kneading phase), foods
should be blotted very dry with a paper towel so that any retained
moisture does not change the texture of the dough and inhibit it from
rising properly.
A 60 minute rise period is ideal. It's ok to open the machine and
quickly test the dough during the rise period. Gently push your
finger into the dough, and if the dent remains, dough is ready. If
the impression bounces back, let dough rise a few minutes longer and
retest. Dough can become slack if allowed to rise too long. White
flour rises highest. White flour combined with whole wheat, rye and
oats will not rise as high. Generally, the darker the dough, the
lower the rise and the longer it takes.
When ready, remove dough form the pan and proceed to Shape Bagels.
THE FOOD PROCESSOR
A food processor will knead dough ingredients very quickly and
easily. It will reduce the process to a few minutes, even cutting
down the time of the a bread machine. Our testers found the results
extremely reliable. One tester much preferred it to the bread machine
because he was in charge all the way and never had a failure. By
mixing and kneading in the food processor and allowing the dough to
rise in the microwave, bagels can be ready for boiling in under a
half hour. You can optionally use the microwave for the first rise
for dough that has been mixed in the bread machine, by hand or with
an electric mixer. Then work the flavoring ingredients into the dough
after the first rise as you would for dough made in the bread
machine. Either active dry yeast or fast-rising yeast can be used.
1. Mix 1/4 of the liquid to 110-115 degrees in the microwave and add
to the yeast and sugar in a small cup. Mix gently and let sit for 5
minutes. Pour remaining liquid in a cup and make it very cool, right
out of the refrigerator, or add an ice cube.
2. Put the metal cutting blade into the food processor bowl. Measure
flour and salt and put them into the processor bowl. Pulse tow or
three times, just enough to mix the flour and salt. Add any oil or
butter and pulse until it disappears, tow or three pulses.
NOTE: Most food processors can mix 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups of flour.
However, it's possible to mix a larger or double batch of dough. If
the machine balks, it will stop automatically. Let it cool down and
restart it. Or divide dough in half and continue processing each half
separately. When mixed, knead the two batches together.
3. Pour yeast mixture into flour through the feeding tube and pulse
for another 5 or 10 seconds until it forms a ball. Pulse a few more
times to knead. When dough appears to come away from sides, it is
ready.
4. Remove dough from the processor bowl and hand-knead to remove any
gases. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. If it's not elastic enough,
add a few more drops of water; if it's still too sticky, add a
sprinkle of flour until it is smooth, velvety and elastic. The first
rise can be done in a microwave oven in about 15 minutes or in a bowl
in a draft-free environment for about 1 hour. Microwave ovens vary in
wattage, so the rise period and settings may vary. You may have to
experiment.
To use a microwave oven, after the dough is kneaded, carefully remove
it and the metal blade from the processor bowl. Form dough into a
rectangle long enough to wrap once around the processor bowl. Grease
dough with oil or nonstick vegetable spray, but do not cover bowl.
(Be sure the bowl has no metal parts.) Place the bowl in the
microwave.
Method 1: Microwave on LOW (30%), or DEFROST (about 30%), for 1
minute. Let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat microwaving and resting 1 to
2 times, until the dough has doubled in size. Test with your fingers
until a dent remains. If the dough springs back and dough has not
doubled, microwave once more for a few minutes until a dent does
remain and dough appears doubled in size.
Method 2: Or, place dough in the processor bowl as instructed.
Position an 8-ounce microwave-safe cup filled with water in the back
corner of the microwave. cover the processor bowl lightly with a damp
tea towel or plastic wrap and place it in the microwave on LOW (30%),
or DEFROST (30%) setting. Heat for 3 minutes, rest for 3 minutes,
heat for 3 minutes and rest for 6 minutes, repeating the 3-minute
heat and the 6-minute rest once or twice if necessary, until dough
has doubled in bulk.
To allow dough to rise in a draft free environment, place dough in a
large bowl lightly oiled with vegetable oil. Turn dough so all
surfaces are greased. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick
vegetable spray and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2
hours.
Proceed to Shape Bagels.
THE HEAVY DUTY MIXER WITH A DOUGH HOOK
A heavy duty electric mixer with a dough hook will make short work of
mixing small or large batches of dough quickly.
Combine the warm liquid (110-115 degrees), syrup, honey or sugar, oil
and yeast, and then add half the flour and all other dry ingredients.
Add remaining flour until a ball forms.
The dough hook will do part or all of the kneading, which should take
about 5 minutes. If the dough begins to strain the machine, add more
water so it becomes softer (check your manufacturer's directions; a
heavy duty mixer with a dough hook should have no problem kneading).
When dough appears near desired consistency, remove it from the bowl
and knead in extra dough until it forms a soft ball. Follow the same
first rise procedures as in the hand mixing or food processor
methods. If a fast-rising yeast is used, the first rise is not
necessary.
Proceed to Shape Bagels.
BY HAND:
Mix together warm water (110-115 degrees), yeast and 1 tsp. sugar and
let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add remaining sugar, salt
and 2 cups flour. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add remaining flour,
stirring to form dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead dough by hand,
adding more flour as necessary, for 10 to 15 minutes until dough is
smooth, shiny, stiff and elastic. Keep the board and your hands
dusted with flour to prevent sticking.
Knead by pushing down on the dough with the palms of your hands,
exerting pressure from your shoulders. Lift the dough from the top
edge, turn it a quarter turn, fold it in half, press again, turn,
fold, press, and repeat the process until dough forms a cohesive
ball. When the dough is no longer sticky, stretch it to help develop
elasticity. Knead it a few more times (by now you should be about
ready to drop dead and buy frozen Lender's <G>.) Drop it on your
board, lift it, pick it up again and drop it again, continuing to
stretch, drop and knead a few more times. If it becomes too stiff,
add a few drops of water; if too sticky, add a little more flour.
When optimally kneaded and shaped into a ball, dough will spring back
when poked gently.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Turn dough so all surfaces are
greased. cover with a sheet of plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick
vegetable spray and let rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.
the test for proper rising, which about doubles the mass of the dough
in size, is to poke two fingers lightly and quickly about 1/2" into
dough. If dent stays, dough is doubled.
Proceed to Shape Bagels
STEP 2: SHAPE BAGELS
Prepare baking sheets by lightly greasing them with nonstick vegetable
spray, or oil with a little vegetable oil spread with your fingertips
or waxed paper.
Reach into the bread machine pan and pull dough out (if it is slightly
sticky, dip your fingers into flour first.) Some machines punch dough
down automatically at the end of the rise cycle, and just the act of
removing the dough from the pan is usually adequate to remove gases,
but you may need to punch dough down to remove any remaining air. Or,
remove dough from bowl or food processor bowl and punch down.
Knead dough once or twice and let it rest for 5 minutes. If the dough
is still a little too wet and sticky, lightly flour the bread board
or your hands and knead the dough manually, until it has a smooth,
elastic consistency. Bagel dough should be stiff but elastic; if it's
too stiff, sprinkle a little water on it or moisten your hands and
knead the moisture into dough. After you've made one or two batches
of bagels, you'll get the feeling of the ideal consistency.
Roll and pull dough into a rectangle about 10x14" for a 1-pound
recipe and 14x18" for a 1 1/2-pound recipe, and let it rest for 5
minutes. Sprinkle with dried fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, spices,
chocolate, or any combination of flavorings. Roll dough into a log
and knead the ingredients into the dough for a minute or so.
The dough should weigh a little more than the size recipe you are
using. Divide dough into pieces depending on the size bagel you want.
A 1 1/2-pound recipe yields 8 to 12 finished bagels, each weighing 2
to 3 ounces, measuring about 4 inches across. Use a food scale if you
want consistency, or measure with a ruler. Cut smaller pieces for
mini bagels. Knead in added ingredients well before shaping each
bagel. You can also divide dough and add different ingredients to
each part so you get a varied batch of bagels from one recipe.
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".
STEP 4: BOIL OR "KETTLE"
Fill a 4- to 6- quart soup pot with water 3 to 4 inches deep. Water
alone can be used, or add 2 tbs. malt syrup, honey or sugar.
Preheat the oven to 400F., so it's ready when you're through boiling
the bagels.
Drop bagels one at a time into the boiling water. Boil about 4 at a
time or only so many that they float freely and so not crowd; they
will expand further in the hot water. The bagel may sink to the
bottom for a few seconds, and then float to the surface. Simmer for
30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, turning with a slotted spatula.
Remove and put on a lightly greased rack or a lightly floured tea
towel for a few minutes to drain.
HINT: Put the top side of the bagel down into water first, and then
turn over.
When you remove them, the bagels will be top side up and slide off
your spatula for draining and adding toppings.
When cool enough to handle, proceed to Step 5: Glaze and Apply
Topping, or if you omit this step, proceed to Step 6: Bake.
STEP 5, OPTIONAL: GLAZE AND APPLY TOPPING
GLAZES: Brush tops with glaze either before placing them in the oven
or about 5 minutes into the baking and then again about 5 minutes
before the end of baking. I've tried all the glazes listed below on
the same bagels in one batch, using white flour bagels and whole
grain flour bagels. Despite claims in some cookbooks that different
glazes yield different shades and crustiness, I found no appreciable
difference in either color or texture of the crusts when applied to
bagels. You may have a different result.
Water Glaze: A spray or brushing with room-temperature tap water will
yield a subtle glaze similar to using the steam baking method
(described elsewhere in
directions). Try brushing some bagels at the beginning of the baking,
some 5 minutes after and some near the end, and compare the
differences.
Nonstick Vegetable Spray Glaze: an easy, quick, effective, low calorie
glaze is a spray of nonstick vegetable spray. It goes on more evenly
than using a brush, yet yields an even glaze. Spray before placing in
the oven and again about 5 minutes before baking time is completed.
Melted Butter or Margarine Glaze: This glaze produces the same effect
as vegetable oil. Watch the bagels carefully so they don't burn.
Egg Glaze #1: Mix together 1 egg white, 1 egg yolk or 1 whole egg
with 1 tbs. water, milk, or cream.
Egg Glaze #2: Lightly beat 1 egg white. You can brush it on the bagels
either before they are put into the oven or 5 minutes after baking
time has begun, and 5 minutes before the baking is finished.
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. This cornstarch mixture can be kept
in the refrigerator for several days. 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.
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. Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds and coarse
salt are easiest to use because they can be placed in a dish directly
from the jar, and the bagel can be dipped into the dish; the seeds
adhere to the moist dough. Or they can be sprinkled on top of the
bagels just before baking, and pressed down lightly to adhere. I've
seen bagels with sparse toppings and those that are covered from top
to bottom. There's no right or wrong way.
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped, saut=E9ed onions to the tops of the bagels.
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped raw onions to the tops of the bagels; they
will cook right along with the bagels.
Use dehydrated onion flakes or packaged onion soup that you have
reconstituted with water, olive oil, or vegetable oil. Use 1 tbs. dry
product to 1/2 tbs. water or oil, and soak for 2 to 3 minutes.
Mix together 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions, 1 green onion (white part
only), 2 tsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. poppy seeds.
Sprinkle with garlic salt, finely chopped fresh garlic or garlic
flakes.
For the "Everything Bagel" (see recipe), combine 1/2 cup finely
chopped onions, 1 clove garlic, finely chopped, and 1/4 cup sesame
seeds. Sprinkle mixture on bagel tops before baking.
Use ground caraway or whole caraway seeds. These are particularly
good on rye bagels. They can be combined with the topping for the
"everything bagel".
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, adjusting the "heat" to your liking.
Top with mixed fresh herbs, including parsley, chives and dill.
Dip into or distribute about 1/4 cup coarse salt or kosher salt on
top of 1 batch of bagels just before 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.
Toasting nuts before using them on (and in) 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.
Sprinkle with rolled oats or multigrain cereal, which will brown while
baking.
Proceed to Step 6: Baking
STEP 6: BAKE
Place bagels on a shelf just below the middle in a preheated 400F.
oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are a nice
golden brown.
BAKING SURFACES:
Bake the bagels on a baking sheet. The easiest surface available to
most home cooks is an aluminum cookie sheet or flat Teflon-coated
sheet pan. Coat with a little oil and sprinkle very lightly with
yellow cornmeal to prevent bagels from sticking. Or line the pan with
parchment paper; it eliminates the use of oil and cornmeal and
cleaning pans.
Bake the bagels on wooden boards (described earlier in directions).
Place bagels on the boards bottom side up to form a crusty bottom,
and flip them off the board after 2 or 3 minutes onto a stone or
sheet to continue baking.
Bake the bagels directly on a baking stone or tiles. Place the stone
or tiles on the lowest rack. Or line a baking sheet with the tiles
and place that on the lowest rack. Preheat the oven, with stone or
tiles inside, to 400F. for 1 hour before baking. Sprinkle cornmeal on
the stone or tiles. Transfer unbaked bagels to the hot surface with a
wooden peel (a long-handled wooden paddle used in baking), or any
flat instrument with a long handle so you don't burn yourself; wear
heavy padded gloves.
Do not wash or immerse stone or tiles in cold water while they are
hot; they may crack. Soak the cooled stone or tiles in cold water and
scrape with a spatula. Do not use soap, as the surfaces tend to
absorb soap, which will be imparted to the bagels. Stones and tiles
will discolor, but that won't affect their baking ability. Don't
place a hot stone directly on your kitchen counter; depending on the
material, the heat could leave a mark.
Steam baking gives bagel tops a crisp crust and extra shine. Create
steam during the first few seconds of the baking by spraying the
sides of the preheated oven with water from a spray bottle when you
place the bagels inside. Place a heavy pan in the lower part of the
oven bottom while it is heating. Place the bagels in the oven and
then pour cold water or half a dozen ice cubes into the pan.
STORING AND USING BAGELS:
Bagels are best when they're eaten fresh from the oven while still
warm. Because they don't usually contain egg or milk, they tend to
dry out faster than breads that contain these ingredients. If you
can't consume all the bagels in a reasonably short time, freezing
them is recommended. It's smart to slice them horizontally before
freezing so you can toast only half at a time, if you wish.
Thaw bagels on the kitchen counter in a plastic bag for about 15
minutes or toast directly from the freezer. Or zap them in the
microwave oven for about 1 minute on DEFROST and then toast them
until lightly browned on top. Microwaving too long will make them
tough.
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!
The Best Bagels are made at home by Dona Z. Meilach ISBN 1-55867-131-5
Carolyn Shaw April 1996 From: Homenet Cook
I hope this answers most of your questions.
Arnold Elser
Sweet Technology - Los Angeles
http://www.sweettechnology.com
pastrywiz@msn.com
Looking for a cookbook? Try http://www.pastrywiz.com/store/