Wow! Always challenging our daring bakers contests!!! I made bagels just once in my life, few month ago, and I was ready to try a new recipe and give it another chance to improve!
And this recipe, even if in mammoth proportions, is wonderful! Luckily I made them for friends coming over, so they were just enough!
How did it go?
First of all, as the rules weren’t allowing the use of a mixer, I knead by hand the dough.
So, let’s think, since how many years I haven’t knead by hand??? To many for sure! Kneading is a wonderful exercise, for mind, muscle and soul. When I’m stressed, or sad, or I don’t fill all my self, I make something yeasty and fluffy, but I don’t knead any more… Mainly because three years a go I kneaded so hard a bread that my wrists began to hurt, so I began to use the mixer. But now, years later and old stress free, I knead again, and I’m so happy!!!
Remember, when life is hard and you don’t know what to do, KNEAD AND BAKE!!! (this could be the opening line of the Daring Bakers hymn, what you think???)…
The rest of the execution when smooth as a sailing boat on a sunny, light wind day! I enjoyed every single step, every single ironic line written by our hosts…
I had just one tiny problem: they are so ugly, but so so so ugly that I’m a bit ashamed to let you see pictures of them, but they tasted much much better then Nigella’s…
But, you know, life too isn’t always beautiful! But always tasty, that’ a given!!! 😉
Bagels for ever and ever!

Daring bakers rock, rule and we are cool!!! (Does it work enough as a rhyme? Maybe no…)