mmmm bagels

OK, again this isn't about gardening but we ended up eating the loaf of bread in a day and a half so I thought I'd try making bread machine bagels. Bagels are not easy to find in Australia, not like in America anyways, and the ones you find here aren't that great.

The complete recipe is on the link above but here's how it went for me. First step was to add the ingredients to the bread maker on the dough cycle, let it rise for 20 minutes, then shape the bagels.

After rising for another 30 minutes, you boil them for 30 seconds each side in batches. They get a coating of egg and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or whatever else you like. This part made me feel like I was making donuts except it was water, not oil.

Finally you bake them in and incredibly hot oven for only 4 minutes each side. I thought that surely 280C was too hot so I only had it about 220, but I was wrong. It really does need to be that hot! Still, they turned out looking pretty good for a first go.

The taste was incredibly delicious though the texture was a bit soft for my liking. I like bagels to have a bit of a crust and tear to them. After my first go at bagels I found this website that gives a really good overview of bagel making and has given me some good tips to consider next time around.

Edit: I've made a few delicious meals from the bagels so far that I wanted to share.  First, the breakfast bagel with scrambled eggs, ham, cheese and garden tomatoes.  Excellent way to start the day.

For lunch I had what I call blackened tomato bagel bruschetta, though it ended up more like pizza.  Sliced a tomato and a clove of garlic in half and put them under the grill for a few minutes until the garlic skin and surface of the tomato get some burned black bits.  Carefully rub the garlic on a toasted bagel (the garlic should be at least a bit soft), then scoop out the gooey warm insides of the tomatoes and spread them on the bagel.  Add some fresh basil and Parmesan cheese and put under the grill until bubbling.