Bagel

A bagel is a ring-shaped bread that originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and later became popular in North America and around the world. Its main ingredients are high-gluten wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, with some recipes also including a small amount of malt syrup or sugar. In terms of preparation, the bagel dough is fermented, shaped into a ring, first boiled in water, and then baked. The boiling step gelatinizes the starch on the surface, creating a characteristic dense crust. The bagel is ring-shaped, with a hole that is about one-third to half of the overall diameter. The surface is smooth and ranges in color from golden to deep brownish-tan, and it may be topped with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, or other toppings. In terms of texture, the bagel has a hard, crispy crust, while the interior is dense, chewy, and denser than that of ordinary bread.