Bagels (with Toppings)
Serving 8 bagels
What you need:
4 ½ cups bread flour (1 lb 3.125oz / 570 g)
1 Tablespoon instant yeast (12 g)
1 Tablespoon white sugar (13 g)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (12 g)
1 ¼ cups plus 2 Tablespoons water (330 ml)
Toppings:
1 beaten egg for glaze
Poppy seeds (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Onion flakes (optional)
Bagel water boil:
2 quarts water
2 Tablespoons molasses
What to do:
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix on low speed gradually adding the water until a shaggy dough forms. Continue mixing with the dough hook until well-developed, about 6-8 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a cotton towel and let rise until doubled – about 1 1/2 hours.
Divide dough into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a tight ball. Arrange dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Cover and let the bagels rest for 20 minutes. Insert one finger into each dough ball and gently widen the holes to about 1 inch.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a deep frying pan. Add molasses. Boil the bagels, four at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush each bagels with the egg wash. Sprinkle with desired toppings. Bake in the preheated oven until the bagels begin to brown, 20 to 22 minutes.