MY HOMEMADE BAGELS

My Homemade Bagels image

When we moved away from Los Angeles to my mountain, it became difficult to find a good Jewish Bakery. When I would go visit my Mother, I would stop at the Jewish Bakery on the way home & pick up Bagels, Lox, Smoked White Fish, & Cream Cheese. Having been bought up on Bagels, Rye & Challah. it was hard to live in an area where...

Provided by Bonnie Beck

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

2 pkg active dry yeast or 2 cakes
2 c warm 120* potato water
4 exlarge eggs, room temp., beaten
1 Tbsp fine kosher salt
1 Tbsp cane sugar
1/4 c oil
8 c flour (i use winter red wheat or bread flour) the 8 cups is approximate) it's more or less
cane sugar
large pan of boiling water
2 egg yolks, beaten with 2 tbls. water

Steps:

1. Soften yeast in warm potato water. Beat eggs in a large bowl and blend in the yeast and remaining warm potato water, salt, sugar, oil, and 2 cups of flour. Stir in rest of flour to make a soft dough.
2. Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to make a firm dough. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn and cover. Let rise in a warm place until double. I usually place my dough in the oven as I have a pilot light. It's the perfect temp. to let yeast breads rise in and out of drafts.
3. Pinch the dough down and knead again for a few mintues on a lightly floured board until it is smooth. Roll into a retangle and cut into 32 equal pieces. Roll each piece between your hands to form a strand about 6 inches long and 3/4 inches in diameter. Moisten the ends and seal them together well. They should be donut shaped and uniform in size. Finish all the dough. Let the raise again on the board for about 15 minutes. If the ends come apart pinch them back together.
4. Dissolve sugar in about 2 quarts of boiling water. Drop carefully the raw bagels in the boiling water. one at a time. DO NOT CROWD THEM!!! As the bagels come to the surface turn them. Boil for 3 minutes on the second side. Remove the Bagels with a slotted spoon and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Baste with the egg wash. At this time is when you can sprinkle poppyseeds or any seasoning or seeds you like.
5. Bake in at 425* for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is a golden brown and crisp. Place on a cooling rack.
6. _____________________________________________________
7. TO MAKE RYE BAGELS. Substitue 3 cups of rye flour for 3 cups flout, increase salt to 2 Tbls and add 2 Tbls. of orange peel and 2 Tbls. Caraway seeds before baking.