In Jewish culture, bagels symbolize the endless circle of life. Poppy seeds, cheese, oatmeal, cracked wheat, rosemary, sesame seeds, garlic salt, chopped onions, rosemary, cinnamon sugar, Fleur de Sel, caraway seeds, fresh chopped garlic or chopped tomatoes make delicious toppings. A bagel skimmer or slotted spoon is helpful to remove the bagels from the boiling water.

Bagels

    1/2 cup whole milk
    1/2 cup water
    2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
    2 tablespoons butter, melted
    3 cups all-purpose flour
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1 large egg white

Topping

    1 large egg yolk
    2 teaspoons water

Fillings

    Cream cheese and smoked salmon
    Butter and pastrami
    Mayonnaise and roast beef


1.  Bread machine method: Measure the milk, water, yeast,
     butter, flour, salt and egg white into a bread machine pan.
     Program for white bread, dough cycle and a large loaf. Go to
     step 3 to complete the recipe.

2.  Hand method: Heat the milk and water to 110 . In an extra
     large bowl, whisk together the warmed milk, water, yeast,
     melted butter, salt and egg white. Mix the egg yolk and water
     in a small bowl, refrigerate until needed. Stir the flour into
     the yeast liquid. Knead on a floured breadboard for 2 minutes.
     Place the dough in a large bowl and spray with oil. Turn oven
     on to 200 . Turn oven off when you can just feel the heat
     on your hand. Place the bowl in the oven. Let the dough rise
     for 1 hour. Punch down the dough with your fist.

3.  Roll and pull dough into a 20-inch rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
     Roll each piece into a 6-inch long rope with tapered
     ends. Dampen one end with water and connect to the other
     end to form a circle. Repeat with all 6-inch ropes. Arrange
     bagels on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet and let bagels
     rise for 45 minutes in oven. Remove, preheat oven to 400 .

4.  Bring water to boil in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Drop 5 bagels
     at a time into the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.

5.  Remove with a bagel skimmer or a large slotted spoon.
     Set on an ungreased baking sheet and brush with egg yolk.

6.  Sprinkle bagels with a topping and bake in the preheated
     oven 15-25 minutes. When cool, serve with a filling.

     Hint: Make these the day after you make roast turkey breast.
     Add 1/4 cup Non-diastatic malt to the boiling water and top
     bagels with uncrushed dried rosemary before baking. Slice
     in half and make mini-turkey sandwiches with slices of turkey
     breast and mayonnaise. If you omit the rosemary, you can
     make the sandwiches with cranberry sauce and lettuce.

     Makes 20 mini-bagel sandwiches