What Is A Bagel? Pt 5

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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  continued in part 6

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