INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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 Posted to Digest
bread-bakers.v097.n025 by "Arnold Elser" <PastryWiz@msn.com> on Mar 16, 97

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