Homemade Bagels

I never thought about making my own bagels until I was given a little tutorial at a Relief Society activity last week. They're easy, delicious and cheap! This recipe is just for plain bagels, but when I made them a couple days ago I made some blueberry ones and also some cinnamon sugar ones and they both turned out good good good...especially the cinnamon sugar ones! So you could really try whatever flavor of bagels you and your family love. You can really make them whatever size you want so it's very convenient.


Bagels
Recipe from Merri Shumway

2 tsp yeast
2 C warm water
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 C flour (white or wheat or any combination of the two)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (yes, I really mean 500 - HOT!)

Mix the first four ingredients in a dough mixer (I'm sure you could do it by hand if you don't have a mixer). Add flour gradually. Mix dough in mixer for four minutes. Let dough rise (covered) for 20 minutes. Roll or pat the dough out about 1 inch thick. Cut with a round cutter, whatever size you want. Make a hole in the center of each round with your thumbs. Place bagels on a lightly floured towel or pan and cover; let rise for 20 minutes. During the last five minutes of rising get a big pot of water boiling on the stove. Place three or four bagels (or more if you made them tiny) in the pot of boiling water for 45 seconds; then turn the bagels and leave for 30 more seconds in boiling water. Remove bagels from water with big slotted spoon or spatula and place onto greased cookie sheet. After you've boiled all the bagels place your pan in preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. If you've made smaller bagels they may only need 8-10 minutes to bake.

This recipe makes 12 big bagels, which fit perfectly on one big cookie sheet. They're great hot out of the oven and also delicious when toasted. You can freeze these in a vacuum sealed bag and use them as you need them.