Delicious Breadmaker Bagels

Make this Biga the night before in your breadmaker (or a large covered bowl)
1/4 teaspoon yeast
7/8 cup water
1 7/8 cups flour (half can be semolina)
*Mix; let sit overnight. Take out all but one cup (reserve the rest for ciabatta or another batch); add to the one cup:
1 cup water
1 teaspoon yeast
3 teaspoons vital wheat gluten**
2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons barley malt flour (or 1/2 tsp. barley malt syrup)**
3 tablespoons dry milk
1 tablespoon dried mashed potato flakes
1 tablespoon dried minced onions, optional (leave out for plain bagels)
3 to 4 cups flour
cornmeal for stone
**note: optional if you can't find them, but recommended for flavor and rising

Optional ingredients: Mix & Match to customize your bagels the way you like them! seeds for topping (flax, poppy, sesame, caraway, black caraway, etc.)
minced onion for inside and topping
coarse kosher salt for topping
small diced sharp cheddar for inside
sliced or diced jalapenos--fresh or pickled--for inside

*Mix in breadmaker on dough cycle (or if no breakmaker, make as a regular bread dough); If desired at this stage the dough can be refrigerated covered for 12-24 hours. When ready to form, if it has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature 1 hour. If using cheddar and jalapenos, or minced onion, add now, "tucking" them into the dough as you form it into bagels so that they won't burn when cooking. Form into 12 bagels by rolling into 12 balls, and sticking a finger through the middle, then with 2 index fingers inserted through the hole (fingertips touching the knuckle of the opposite hand), make circles by rotating fingers around each other, gradually widening the hole evenly. It should look like a doughnut with a little bit bigger hole in it. Tuck in any exposed cheese or jalapenos (onion is ok to show--it will just brown a little) and pinch dough around it. Let rise about 30 minutes (45 minutes in the winter), on an oiled cookie sheet, or until they start to "puff". Preheat oven to 450?. Meanwhile, bring to a boil a large pot of water with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp baking soda. Gently drop bagels in water (only one or two at a time)--they will sink. Count about a 1 minute, or less, until they rise (if they stick on the bottom of the pan, gently slide a spatula underneath), then turn over. Let boil 20 seconds longer. Sprinkle with desired toppings (I just dip the top in a bowl with the ones I want on the way to the cookie sheet) and place on greased, cornmealed cookie sheet (or dip bottom in cornmeal, if using baking stone, and slide onto pizza stone). Bake until golden brown and done, usually about 15-20 minutes--watch carefully--you want them cooked all the way through, but not overbrowned. Every oven is different. The cheese WILL melt out a little, don't worry about it--it's yummy! Makes 12 bagels

This version uses a starter you need to make the night before. The flavor is really excellent. They just can't compare to store bought. Hope you enjoy these.
Sheryl in AZ

http://www.nancyskitchen.com