Categories: Breads 
      Yield: 12 servings 
  
      2 c  Warm water (100 to 115                   -flour (unsifted) 
           -deg.F)                             3 qt Water with 1 Tbl sugar 
      2 pk Active dry yeast                         Cornmeal 
      3 tb Sugar                               1    Egg yolk beaten with 1 Tbl 
      3 ts Salt                                     -water 
           About 5 3/4 cup all-purpose     
  
  Combine water and yeast in the large bowl of an electric mixer; let stand 5 
  minutes. Stir in sugar and salt; gradually mix in 4 cup of the flour. Beat 
  at medium speed for 5 minutes. With a spoon, mix in about 1 1/4 cups more 
  flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead until 
  smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, about 15 minutes; add more flour as 
  needed (dough should be firmer than for most other yeast breads). Place in 
  a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 
  about 40 minutes. Knead dough lightly, then divide into 12 equal pieces. To 
  shape, knead each piece, forming it into a smooth ball. Holding ball with 
  both hands, poke your thumbs through the center. With one thumb in the 
  hole, work around perimeter, shaping bagel like a doughnut, 3 to 3 1/2 
  inches across. Place shaped bagels on a lightly floured board, cover 
  lightly, and let stand in a warm place for 20 minutes. Bring the 
  water-sugar mixture to boiling in a 4 or 5 quart pan; adjust heat to keep 
  it boiling gently. Lightly grease baking a baking sheet and sprinkle with 
  cornmeal. Gently lift one bagel at a time and drop into water; boil about 4 
  at a time, turning often, for 5 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spatula, 
  drain briefly on a towel, and place on the baking sheet. Brush bagels with 
  the egg yolk glaze and bake in  a 400 deg.F oven for about 35 to 40 
  minutes, or until well browned and crusty. Cool on a rack. Makes 12. 
   
  WHOLE WHEAT BAGELS -----+-----+------ Follow basic recipe, omitting sugar; 
  use 3 Tbl honey instead. In place of the flour, use 2 cups whole wheat, 1/2 
  cup wheat germ, and about 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. Mix in all the 
  whole wheat flour and wheat germ and 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour before 
  beating dough. Then mix in about 1 1/2 cups more all-purpose flour, knead, 
  and finish as directed. 
   
  PUMPERNICKEL BAGELS *+* Follow basic recipe, omitting sugar; instead use 3 
  Tbl dark molasses. In place of the flour use 2 cups each rye and whole 
  wheat and about 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. Add all the rye and 1 cup 
  each of the whole wheat and all-purpose before beating dough. Then add 
  remaining 1 cup of whole wheat and about 3/4 cup more all-purpose flour, 
  knead, and finish as directed. 
   
  MORE BAGEL VARIETY ----+-----+------- Try adding 1/2 cup instant toasted 
  onion to the whole wheat or basic bagels; add it to the yeast mixture along 
  with the sugar and salt. Or sprinkle 1/2 tsp poppy or sesame seed or 1/4 
  tsp coarse salt on each glazed bagel before baking. Or add 1 Tbl caraway 
  seed to pumpernickel bagels, then sprinkle each glazed bagel with 1/2 tsp 
  more caraway seed before baking.