Instructions: Malt powder not only gives the bagels a good taste, when used in the water bath it gives them a shiny crust.

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the malt and sugar, then the salt and flour. Knead the dough till smooth (by hand, mixer or machine). Shape the dough into a ban, place it in a lightly greased bowl covered with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise till doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

When the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Put the water into a large, shallow pan - the water should be about 3 inches deep - and add the malt and sugar. Bring the water to a boil while youre shaping the bagels.

Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape it into a ball, poke a hole through the center with your index finger, and twirl; the dough will form a ring. Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet as theyre shaped. Boil them immediately, or let them rise a bit.

Reduce the boiling water bath to a very gentle simmer. Gently transfer the bagels, 3 or 4 at a time, to the water bath; dont crowd them. Simmer them for about 30 seconds on each side, then return them to the baking sheet.

Bake the bagels in a preheated 425 F oven for 20 minutes, or until theyre a deep golden brown.

Notes:
To rise or not to rise? Giving the bagels their bath immediately after shaping, youll have a very chewy, quite-dense bagel. Letting the bagels rest for half an hour or so after shaping, while it makes the boiling trickier (dont let them deflate), fields a lighter, puffier bagel. Try it both ways boil half immediately, and let the other half rise. That way you can see just hove much you can let the bagels rise and still be able to handle them successfully.

After youve boiled the bagels, and before you bake them, you may sprinkle them with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, coarse salt, or whatever you wish. Bagels brushed with a bit of beaten egg white before topping will be shinier, and hold onto their topping better.

To make flavored bagels, add ingredients to the dough before kneading. Bits of cooked spinach or fresh chive or garlic, diced onions, cinnamon and raisins are all popular.

Non-diastatic malt powder is made from sprouted barley kernels which have been roasted (to intensify their natural sweetness), ground, filtered in water (to remove husks and bran), then dehydrated. The resulting sweet powder, with its characteristic "caramelized" taste, has been a favorite ingredient of bagel bakers for years. Malt powder not only, gives bagels a good taste, when used in the water bath it gives them a shiny crust.

Non-diastatic malt differs from diastatic malt in the way its processed.

Unlike diastatic malt, it doesnt retain the enzymes which gives yeast a boost; however, its a much more stable, "user-friendly" malt, as you dont have to worry about adding too much and perhaps causing your dough to collapse.

Aside from bagels, you may use malt as you would any sweetener, use it in place of the sugar in your recipes.

NOTES :
Makes: 16 to 20

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