I have had great success making seeded bagels; I boil the bagels in water with baking soda and a little sugar, and any kind of seed sticks to the outside and bakes to perfection. My problem is trying to replicate garlic bagels. Fresh garlic doesn't stick, and doesn't get dried out like I want. Dehydrated "garlic granules" burn by the time the bagels are done. So:
What type of garlic works best for bagels?
I am really looking for someone with actual experience making garlic bagels.
Edited to respond to a comment: I can see the following problems with adding the garlic partway through baking.
(The main reason) The garlic will not stick to the outside of the bagel, since the bagel will be dry. One would have to re-wet the bagel somehow, or maybe wet the garlic?
Interrupting the baking process of bread is not good in my experience. Since I cook bagels in six-bagel batches, the bagels would be out for a reasonable amount of time to add the garlic. And re-moistening the surface would further cool them.
It seems absolutely absurd to have to manipulate piping-hot bagels mid-bake just to add the topping. I am positive that this is not how the bagels I have in mind are made.
However, if anyone has done it this way, let me know what your results were.