Emeril Lagase's Bagels. Why not?

I should start by saying I am leary. I am not a big bread fan at.all. Other than my mothers homemade rolls and Texas Road House bits of yummy goodness, I could pass on bread. I never order sandwhiches when out and if I eat sandwhiches I always end up throwing the bread away. Its just not my thing. Panera bagels however, Oh.My.Glory to God in the highest. I eat the heck outta those babies. So, I decided to try to make some. Baking, for me, is like therapy. The process soothes me and often- the longer the process the better.....depending on my stress level- Cooking, I'd prefer to be short and sweet but baking, I just adore. So....Bagels. I dont know why, I saw a picture of one on pinterest and decided it was the only way to spend my Thursday afternoon. I have failed miserably at bread making in the past, I'm just no good at the rising thing. But these babies rose beautifully.

Here is the link to the recipe:: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/homemade-bagels-recipe/index.html  and I tweaked by using half bread flour half APF.

I did half in sesame and half with cinn/brown sugar (leaving the coating off of half in fear that it would burn). and I gave them an egg bath before adding the goodness to the top. Plain ones also got a bath of egg mixed with a spoonfull of sweetened condensed milk just for a little sweetness. I dont think the recipe says it but I also put sugar in the water bath as most bagel recipes I found recommend this, and who am I to disagree...I'm a newbie.

I can smell them now cooking away and oh man alive. I want to dive in NOW.

Cinnimon Sugar "panera style"...YUM

Plain and Sesame. My favs.

I forgot to take a picture of the boiling process so here is the oven process

rising- look at those beauts. Could almost eat them raw. Ew. No I couldnt. But they are fun to look at!

Tried High Protien Bread Flour and seemed to work great. The bagels are chewy and delicious . From now on, I will be using this along with fast rising yeast to make all my pastries and breads (I am impatient.)