Homemade Bagels

In a small bowl, combine the warm water and the yeast. Make sure that the bowl you pour the water and yeast into is not cold, because the water must be between 105-115 degrees (F) when the yeast hits it to get the yeast to bloom. Mix the yeast into the water and set it aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the bread four, sugar, malt syrup and salt. Mix with a dough hook until just combined.

After the yeast and water has adequate time to proof, (about 10 minutes), add the mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix with the dough hook on medium for about 2 minutes. The dough will actually look kind of shredded at this point.

Keep mixing on high until the dough is smooth. By the way – this is not easy! The dough is really stiff and it will really rock a standing mixer. You need to stay with it or the mixer could easily jump right off the counter (it has happened to me before and left a huge gouge in the floor!) This should take about 8 minutes total from the time you add the yeast and water.

Remove the dough and place it in an oiled bowl, also lightly coating the top of the dough with the oil. Cover the bowl with a dish rag and place the bowl somewhere warm to rise. I let the dough rise an hour.

When the dough is ready, it will be very smooth and fluffy, but it will not have doubled in size, (more like 50%).

Cut the dough into 12 pieces and using your hands, roll them into 8-9 inch ropes.

Pull the ropes into a bagel shape, and using a little water press the ends together to make a circle.

Place all of these bagels on a sheet pan covered with a piece of parchment. Let them sit and rest, about another 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F).

Meanwhile, prepare a huge pot, and fill with about 3 quarts water, plus ¼ cup brown sugar. Bring the water to a light boil. Also, place a cooling rack inside another sheet pan.

Prepare the egg wash by beating together 1 egg white and 1 Tbs water.

Prepare the Everything Bagel Toppings by combining all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the bagels have finished resting and the water has come to a light boil, (not rolling boil) you are ready to begin!

Place 3-4 bagels at a time, (depending how big your pot is) gently into the boiling water. The bagels should be nice and light and float right to the top. Boil the bagels about 30-60 seconds on each side, and then gently flip the bagels.

When they are done, remove from the boiling water and brush each bagel with egg wash, (top and bottom) and sprinkle 6 of them with the everything bagel mixture. You can double the seed mixture if you want all everything, or sprinkle with plain sesame seeds or poppy seeds. We kept 3 completely plain for the baby.

Transfer the bagels to the parchment lined sheet pan and place in the oven. Bake until deep golden brown, 15-20 minutes (rotate the sheet pan at the 10 minute mark). In my convection oven, they took 17 minutes. Every oven is different, so pay close attention to the color that you want.