Bagels!!!!

I have always wanted to make bagels -- and now Susan has shared her recipe so I have no excuse not to try. Thanks, Susan!!! Can you add raisins or chocolate chips??

I think we should all try to make bagels in the next week :)

Water Bagels
makes 8 bagels

1 package (2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 rounded teaspoon salt
4-1/4 cups flour (or a bit less); I use ½ cup of whole wheat flour, the rest white flour, but you can use all white flour just as well
4 quarts water + 1 Tbsp baking soda
corn meal for sprinkling on the baking sheet. Sprinkle it thickly or the bagels will stick to the pan!

1.Dissolve the yeast in the water in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until it is smooth and elastic (about 7-8 minutes) adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
3.Cover the dough with a lint-free towel and allow to rise for 15 minutes.
4.Flatten the dough, then divide it into eight portions. Roll each portion out into a ‘snake’ about 10 inches long (remember those clay snakes you used to make?). Make each snake into a circle and pinch the ends together.
5. Place bagels in inch or so apart on a floured board. Cover them with the towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes. Then AS YOU SET THEM TO RISE …
6. Bring the water+baking soda to a boil in a large pot and preheat the oven to 375 deg F.
7. Place the risen bagels, four at a time, into the boiling water. Reduce the heat and simmer for seven minutes (I generally turn them over about half-way through). Remove the bagels, drain well, dry the bottoms with a towel (so they’re less likely to stick) and place on baking sheets that have been sprinkled with the corn meal. Repeat for the other four bagels.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Check the bottoms to see that they’re light brown as well.

That’s it! The whole thing takes two hours, start to finish.