The Roll with a Hole

Bagel is one of the many products of western origin which is gaining currency in the Indian market.

The product, if marketed well, has impressive potential to gain popularity in the metros and other big cities of the country, where there are huge multitudes of people with less time on their hands; who are looking for tasty, filling and affordable snacking options, options which also do not take much time to have.

Bagel's interiors are generally dense, chewy, and doughy and its exterior is generally brown and crunchy. Bagels are circular shaped with a hole and are often topped with sprinkling of poppy or sesame seeds. Bagels with salt sprinkled on the surface are also there.

Wheat dough is the most important ingredient in a traditionally made bagel. The most basic and traditional bagel dough comprises wheat flour devoid of germ or bran, salt, water, and yeast leavening. Bread flour or other high gluten flours are preferred to create the firm, dense but spongy bagel shape and chewy texture.

Making a Bagel

Bagels are very simple to make. The preparation is very similar to bread or roll, which includes flour, salt, yeast, and water. What separate the bagel from the rest of the rolls are the flour quality and the processing. Traditional bagels were made with very highprotein, spring wheat flour.