Recipe for Water Bagels Recipe for Water BagelsCombine the flour, white sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl. Slowly add enough of the warm water to form a firm dough, mixing well. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth. Place in a lightly greased bowl (use margarine or butter, but not oil), cover with polythene and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
Remove the dough from the bowl and roll into a cylinder about 3" diameter. Tear off a small disc of the dough and roll it into a ball. Make a hole in the centre of the ball and work the dough into a bagel shape, bearing in mind that the dough will expand about 1 1/2 times during the next stage. (Purists would insist that the ball is rolled into a cylinder and then joined up around the hand to form a bagel, but the ends don't stick together very well if this is done.) Repeat for all the remaining dough. Place the bagels on a plate, cover with polythene and leave to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring to the boil a large pan of water. Add the brown sugar to this,and stir to dissolve. Preheat the oven to 425F (200C approx). When the bagels have rested, place them 3-4 at a time in the boiling water and leave for 1 minute, turning them over once. Move them around in the water to stop them sticking together. The bagels should sink first and then rise. If not, they have rested too long, but this is not a problem - it is more a point of finesse.
Remove the bagels from the water - they should now have a slightly shiny coating due to the brown sugar - and place them on a greased baking tray. Repeat for all the remaining bagels. Bake them for around 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Leave on a wire rack to cool.
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