HOMEMADE BAGELS

This recipe was given to me by my Father who got it from a family friend years ago. Use a heavy duty mixer with a dough hook for this recipe, if you have one.

~3 Cups Warm Water and 1Tablespoon yeast.....let stand until yeast foams (10 minutes?) ~Add/Mix: 2 T sugar , 1 T salt, and 1/4 heaping cup of Malted Milk Powder ~Add/Mix: 6-7 Cups flour or until soft ball-o-dough forms (do not overwork) ~Proof: put dough ball in large greased bowl and cover with saran wrap and a wet towel...80 degree F till it rises to 2 times it's original size ~Shape: Punch down and knead on a floured surface a few times to make an oblong loaf....divide into 12 "balls" (See Pic #1) for large bagels and more for smaller bagels ~put on cookie sheet to puff up (20 mins) ~Water: 2 Qts H2O, 5 t sugar, 5 t malted milk powder...bring to "just boiling" ***Preheat oven to 400 w/baking stone sprinkled with cornmeal ~(Prepare 6 at a time and hold the others at ball stage) ~Make a hole in the center and Drop into just boiling water for about 15 secs.~flip several times~should float.... and then firm up on strainer.....place on wet towel on cookie sheet or counter and add toppings (toppings need to be soaked in water for a while first, so they don't burn while baking) I like to saturate minced onion, poppy seeds, and minced garlic) ~Bake: on stone on center rack of the oven..not touching...placed on cornmeal...30 minutes. Place a pan of water on the rack below to create some steam..that will make the bagels crustier...yummy! It takes practice, but practice makes perfect. I'm getting there! :) ** T=Tablespoon and t=teaspoon