Oh wow, so much yum!

I wanted bagels yesterday, but I didn't have any. I did, however, have flour, salt, sugar and yeast so I made my own. They are amazing. I won't be buying bagels again. Not when I can make my own that taste better than Panera!

Bread Machine Bagels

1-1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons white sugar
4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
16 cups boiling water
1/4 cup white sugar
cornmeal for dusting
egg white

1. Place water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting.
2. When cycle is complete, let dough rest on a lightly floured surface. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 16 c of water to a boil. Stir in 1/4 c of sugar.
3. Cut dough into 12 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 30 minutes.
4. Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white if desired, and sprinkle with your choice of toppings.
5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until browned.

My notes:

Check your dough while it mixes in the bread machine. I found that the amount of water noted here wasn't quite enough to make a good sticky dough to blend all the flour in. I ended up adding maybe a scant 1/4 c of warm water to my bread machine.

I divided my dough after it came out of the bread machine. I left half of the dough plain, and to the other half of the dough I gingerly kneaded in 1/2 t cinnamon and 1/4 c raisins.

On the plain bagels, after shaping and the second rising I sprinkled them with a mixture of sea salt and garlic powder with a blanket of shredded cheddar cheese on top.

I sprinkled the cinnamon raisin bagels with a dusting of cinnamon vanilla sugar prior to baking.

I did not glaze any of the bagels with egg white, and they came out lovely. Also, I simply greased my baking sheet instead of using cornmeal (I used all my cornmeal to kill the ants this Spring!) and the bagels weren't any worse for the wear.