bagels, take two

I tried the mini-bagels again, with a few experiments...

- Heat. I increased the heat to 220C from 200C. They're better but I think I can go higher. Next time 230C. I'd prefer to cook shorter time at higher heat so the inside stays moist and the crust gets darker and crisper.

- Flavor. I made them cinnamon raisin this time, adding 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/3 cup raisins. (I forgot the vanilla extract recommended by another recipe - I'll try that next time.) After boiling, I sprinkled the top with cinnamon sugar. I served them with cream cheese mixed with my favorite honey. So yum!

- Shaping. Last time I rolled the dough into balls and stuck my finger through to create the hole. They were really lumpy. So this time I rolled them into ropes them connected the ends (see pic below). They are much smoother and prettier, but a couple broke into cresents during boiling.

- Dough. I added about a tablespoon more water to the dough because it seemed really dry. This tiny amount made it mucher wet than last time and suprisingly, easier to shape handle after the rise. It was less sticky and easier to shape into smooth ropes. Also, I oiled the bowl the dough rose in and this seemed to make the dough smoother as well.