Some people experience an allergy to wheat products and others enjoy a change from wheat occasionally. For these purposes, below is a bagel recipe that requires no wheat at all. This recipe is wheat free, gluten free, nut free, and vegetarian, but not vegan.

NOTES:

Recipe makes 6 to 8 good sized bagels.

Rising time: 30-60 minutes

Preheat oven: 425 F or 224 C

Ingredients

1 Cup rice flour

Extra rice flour for dusting countertop and hands

1 Cup tapioca flour

2 Tbsp dry milk powder

1¾ tsp xanthan gum - found at cooking specialty stores

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

½ Cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

1Tbsp dried yeast

2 Tbsp low-fat spread, margarine or butter

¼ Cup hot water

2 egg whites (large size eggs)

1 tsp sugar and a gal. of iot water for coating the bagels

• Put the first six ingredients - rice flour, tapioca flour, dry milk powder, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar - into a mixing bowl or food processor bowl.
• Dissolve the margarine in the hot water by stirring well until dissolved.
• In another bowl, place the second amount of warm water and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve it. Sprinkle the yeast on top and it will bloom in a few minutes.
• Consider the dry ingredients again -- Blend them with the mixer on a low setting or carefully by hand. Next, add the margerine and mix. Then add the egg whites and the yeast mixture and mix by hand or on Low setting for an electric mixer.
• The dough should be thick -- If not, add more rice flour a little at a time, mix, and check to see if it wll hold a shape. If the mix is too thick, add increments of water to thin it to the desired thickness.
• Use a high mixer setting and beat teh dough for 4 - 5 minutes. You can still do this with a ooden spoon by hand, however.
• Line two baking sheets with cooking parchment or lightly sprayed oil with a dusting of rice flour.
• Divide the bagels into 8 equal sections, or into 6 larger bagels. With greased hands, roll them into balls, flatten them, and poke a hole in the middle. Widen the hole very much or it will close up in cooking.
• Put the bagels on the baking sheets, cover loosely with plastic, leave in a warm site til doubled -- 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the yeast and the weather.
• To produce a crisp and shiny coating to your bagels, bring a saucepan of water to boiling and dissolve 1 measured teaspoon of sugar in it. When the water is at a hard rolling boil, drop a bagel into it carefully. Time it for 30 seconds and turn it over in the water for another 30 seconds. Take it out and drain in with a slotted spoon onto your baking sheet.
• After the whole batch of bagels have been boiled, lay them on their baking sheet in the oven and bake them for 20 - 22 minutes. You will smell their delicious aroma when they are finished cooking. Check them early to ensure no snags in the cooling process. I begin at 15 - 18 minutes and check every few minutes - they certainly do not smell good when burnt.
• Remove the bagels from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before serving - let them rest on the pan a minute and transfer them to a serving plate. They may also be toasted after cooling for additional flavor.

Serve the bagels your favorites spreads:

Small-curd Cottage Cheese with some chives and/or cilantro added as a spread. Sungflower seeds are good in this as well.

Thick yogurt spread or dip

Cream Cheese, plain or with herbs and onions

Smoked Salmon

Clam Dip

Low-fat Margarine

Reduced-sugar jam or jellies

Enjoy!

NOTES:

Makes 12 bagels or 24 mini bagels.

Use all purpose or whole wheat flour.

A 3-step cooking process is used - broiling, boiling, and baking.

Ingredients

• 4.5 cups flour, divided
• 2 packets of active dry yeast
• 1.5 cups warm water (110 to 115)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your mixer, add 1.5 cups of flour and the yeast.
• Combine the warm water, 3 Tblsp sugar and the salt.
• Pour the water mixture over flour mixture.
• Beat at the low mixer speed or by hand for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl often.
• Beat 3 minutes on high speed, or continue to beat by hand.
• Stir in as much of the rest of your flour as possible and mix.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop or bread board.
• Knead in more flour to the point that you have a ratehr stiff dough. Keep kneading until elastic in nature, for about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover the bowel with a clean towl and let the dough rest for 10 - 15 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 12 secdtions and roll into balls.
• Punch a hole in the centers and stretch then to about 2 inches wide.
• Place bagel dough rounds on a greased baking sheet and cover with pasltic wrap for 20 minutes rising in a warm place.
• Broil bagels 5 inches from the heat source in your oven for about to 2 minutes per side, but tops should NOT be brown wet.
• Rasie 1 gallon of water and 1 Tblsp of sugar mixrd toget in a pot to boiling and immediately reduce heat to medium.
• Cook the bagels in the water, 4 or 5 together, about 3.5 minute soer side.
• Remove from water and place on a greased baking sheet again.
• Bake at 375 F for 25 - 30 minutes.

VARIATIONS

Herbed Bagels: Prepare bagels, add 2 teaspoons marjoram or 1 teaspoon dill weed or 1 teaspoon tarragon to the flour and yeast mixture. Alternatively, 1 teaspoon cilantro is also good for a different taste as well and dried chives and cilantro together are nice.Other herbs or species amy also be used.

Parmesan Bagels (any grated cheese is good): Prepare bagels as above except stir 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese into the flour & yeast.

Onion Bagels: Cook 1/2 cup chopped onion or shallots in 3 Tblsp butter or margarine until tender. Brush onto bagels after first 10 minutes of baking is completed and finish baking.