| 1 | Shape using any of the following methods: hole in the middle method: roll each piece of dough into a ball, poke a floured finger through the center to form the hole, and then shape top and smooth sides. |
| 2 | Moisten your finger with water, if necessary to smooth. |
| 3 | Pull gently to enlarge hole. |
| 4 | The resulting bagel is smooth and there is no joint. |
| 5 | Or, press the round on your floured board. |
| 6 | Using the index fingers of both hands, poke a hole an pull dough until the hole is large, and then round out the bagel and smooth the top and edges. |
| 7 | The hula hoop around the finger method: create a circle without a joint by flattening a ball of dough slightly into a round shape, folding the bottom edge under and smoothing it until it looks like a mushroom top. |
| 8 | With a floured index finger, make a hole in the center of the circle from the bottom up. |
| 9 | Twirl the circle around your index finger, or two fingers, like a hula-hoop, to widen the hole. |
| 10 | Pull out and shape the round. |
| 11 | The rope method: roll each piece of dough into a rope by rolling it on the bread board or between your hands. |
| 12 | Wrap the rope around four fingers, overlap and join the ends, and turn the circle inside out. |
| 13 | Until you get this hand movement down pat, you may have to moisten the ends to hold them together. |
| 14 | Initially the length may be lumpy and the joint will show. |
| 15 | It takes practice. |
| 16 | Or, roll dough into 30" lengths, cut each length into thirds (each 10" long) and join the ends. |
| 17 | If you become proficient at this hand-made method, make 10" marks on the edge of your bread board so your bagels will be a consistent size. |
| 18 | Bagel cutter method: roll dough out to a flat shape about ? thick. |
| 19 | Cut with a bagel cutter and smooth the tops over the sides so they"re rounded, using a little water on your fingers to smooth, if necessary. |
| 20 | Knead scraps again, reroll and cut into as many more bagels as there is dough. |
| 21 | If you don"t have a bagel cutter, use a wide champagne glass to cut out the outside. |
| 22 | Cut the inside hole with the edge of a cordial glass or the small end of a measuring jigger. |
| 23 | Any leftover dough can be rolled into two strips and made into a bagel twist (separate recipe), sealing ends with a dab of water so they don"t untwist while boiling and baking. |
| 24 | Place shaped bagels on the greased baking sheet for the second rise, spacing them at least an inch apart to allow for the second rise. |
| 25 | Proceed to step 3: second rise. |
| 26 | Step 3: second rise during the second rising of the dough, the bagels will puff up on the greased baking sheet. |
| 27 | Cover them with a length of plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray or a very lightly dampened cloth such as a tea towel. |
| 28 | Place them in a draft free location and let them rise at room temperature until puffy, about 20 minutes. |
| 29 | Note: bagels can be refrigerated at this point, should you decide to boil and bake them later, or the next morning. |
| 30 | Leave them covered so they do not dry out. |
| 31 | Remove from the refrigerator and allow to warm slightly while you boil water and preheat the oven. |
| 32 | The second rise can be speeded up by using the microwave. |
| 33 | Fill a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup with water and bring the water to a boil. |
| 34 | Place in a corner of the microwave. |
| 35 | Place the baking sheet of covered bagels in the microwave and close the door, but so not turn on the microwave. |
| 36 | The bagels should rise in a bout 6 minutes. |
| 37 | (it won"t matter if the sheet is metal because you don"t turn on the oven). |
| 38 | Or, spray shaped tops of dough with water. |
| 39 | Place bagels on a microwave-safe surface and heat in the microwave on low or defrost setting for 3 minutes; rest for 3 minutes. |
| 40 | Repeat heating and resting until bagels are puffy. |
| 41 | Proceed to step 4: boil or "kettle". |
| 42 | Continued in about bagels -- general directions 4 the best bagels are made at home by dona z. |
| 43 | Meilach isbn 1-55867-131-5 carolyn shaw april 1996 |
