Ugly Bagels

I love to bake and equally, I love bagels but I am terrible at making my baked goods look as good the ones you would get from a professional baker. Thus the Ugly Bagels were born. I found a recipe online at allrecipes.com that I felt fit the classic bagel requirements. It calls for the boiling of the dough prior to baking. In this batch we made three different flavors. Plain, kosher salt and sesame seed.

The first try was rough. I boiled the dough as instructed but I found the bagels too tough and chewy. On this batch I shortened the boil time with better results. I find the shortened time yields a lighter, softer center and doesn't leave your jaw sore from chewing. Give it shot, there are quite a few steps but overall an easy process. Let me know any tips you may have for making them look better than mine.