Bagels With A Twist! (BBA Challenge)

Bagel dogs! Who doesn't like bagel dogs? Or bagel brats? Or bagel sausages? If it's shaped like a hot dog, you can wrap it in bagel, baby!

This week's Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge was all about bagels, and I knew from the moment I saw the recipe, I was going to turn at least part of my dough into bagel dogs. When the kids were little, bagel dogs were one of their favorite foods and I loved the convenience of being able to pop them out of the freezer and into the microwave. I got the help I needed regarding the wrapping technique from Cooking Dunkin Style and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy these were to put together. Precooked dogs or brats must be used, and I took them from the fridge and brought them to room temperature before wrapping them. The only step I eliminated from the book's original recipe was that I did not do the float test. I just let them rest for about thirty minutes before covering them and putting them in the fridge. I kept the temperature and baking time the same, but I think the next time I make these I'll leave them in the oven for another minute or two.

I ordered Sir Lancelot Flour from King Arthur and I also got my diastatic malt power there. The dough was so nice to knead and form, and I loved the silky smooth texture as I rolled it into ropes. This was a very fun bread recipe for me and I will most certainly be making these again.

The participants of the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge were asked not to post the recipes on their blogs but I did find the full recipe for Peter Reinhart's bagels over at Smitten Kitchen if you'd like to check it out there.