Recipe Request: Mini Bagels
So, I am a regular patron of my local Trader Joe's, and whenever I go there one of my staples is their bags of wheat mini bagels. I'm seriously addicted. Really. Whenever I take them home I freeze them (no guarantee I'll eat them right away as I bake fairly often) but whenever I want them I take them out, microwave the ice out, and toast them up in my toaster oven. It really does an awesome job of recreating the "freshly baked"ness , maybe because the bread is soggy after microwaving and then the outside gets toasted up, leaving a chewy crust and a creamy soft yummy center (can you tell I'm eating them right now?)
Anyways, they recently jacked up their prices here from about $1.70 to $2+ and I was wondering if anyone has had any success making mini bagels out of a whole wheat bagel recipe? Or just mini bagels in general?
I've made bagels with some success before, but the last time I made mini bagels they turned out frighteningly hard and crunch - kind of like ka'ak rings? Plus they didn't brown at all. (and I made sure to check the oven constantly and adjust the baking time as well...)
Any help to feed my strange addiction would be appreciated :) Thanks!
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5 Comments:
Before we continue, what are ka'ak rings?
dmcavanagh at 11:47PM on 01/12/09
They're Mediterranean-type crackers, usually savory and shaped like rings - kind of like Italian taralli?
My point is my attempt turned out crisper, chewier, and less puffy in texture than I would have liked for bagels.
But I'm also on the lookout for recipe suggestions if anyone has had any success..
jazzinx at 12:45AM on 01/13/09
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka'ak
Adam Kuban at 10:00AM on 01/13/09
I advise to go on just about any website for a bagel recipe. They are all pretty standard.
For a batch of 8 or so bagels, I'd use maybe a cup and a half warm water with a packet of yeast til foamy, then mix in a stick of butter and 4.5 cups wheat flour, along with salt and any other flavors you want. Mix in a beater and let proof for an hour. Make sure to boil the bagels in lots of water with some baking soda in it for about 30 seconds, coating with egg batter, and then baking - that is what gives it that crispy outer crust but soft and chewy inside.
(Sorry I'm not more precise, I'm not a traditional baker but more of a "lets play around" cook - I've made these a number of times and even when I mess up they still taste delicious)
secondbecky at 3:54PM on 01/14/09
a regular bagel recipe would work. you just have to be careful not to overwork the dough when making tiny bagels. the hard, crunchiness and non-browning can be from over working the gluten or possibly dead yeast (old yeast, too hot water, over-proofing).
regular bagels cut in half aren't sufficient?
dmarina at 7:45PM on 01/14/09