Grace's magic.

Grace's magic* 

(aka. Bagels)

*My mother-in-law used to have a cook.  Grace.  Sweetest Kikuyu woman with a magic hand for all things dough.  She dictated this recipe to me one day about 4 years ago.  I tried it three weeks ago, and now bake them every other day....

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. yeast

2 cups very warm water

-Put sugar and yeast in a bowl and stir in the 2 cups warm water.  Allow to do it's thing for about 10 minutes while you move on.

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. salt

5 cups flour

Glaze (for later): 

1 egg

A little milk

(and sesame seeds, if you so desire, which I do.)

Simple, right?  Mix sugar, salt and flour, then dump in your fluffy yeast mixture.

You HAVE to have good yeast.  If it doesn't look foamy and full, ditch it and try again.  Too cool water won't activate the yeast, and too hot will kill it.

Kneed the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and silky, adding flour constantly.  Pinch it in half to make sure the dough is dry and not sticky.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, and roll into balls.

Put all 12 rounds onto a greased cookie sheet, and cover lightly with a tea towel.  Set in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes.

Uncover and it's time to pinch holes!  Just grab each round between your thumb and forefinger and pinch - then insert your thumb to widen and smooth out the center.

Cover with that towel again and leave them to rise a bit longer (about 20 min) while you heat up a nice big pot of water to boiling.  Preheat the oven, while you're at it, to about 400 degrees.

Gingerly place three bagels at a go into the water to boil for three minutes (1 1/2 min per side).  Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the cookie sheet to cool.  When they're cool enough to handle, dip both sides in the egg/milk glaze, then one side in the toasted sesame seeds, if you so desire (which I do.)

The rest is easy.  Slide the tray into the oven and watch the magic.  In about 40 minutes you should have a dozen GORGEOUS bagels.  With any luck they should be delicious too.  I always flip the bagels at the 40 min. mark and pop them in for an extra five min. to brown the underside too.

Okay, now I'm hungry.

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