Bagels

PREPARATION

? In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast and barley malt syrup. Let stand 10 minutes, until bubbles begin to form and the mixture smells yeasty.

? Add 1 cup flour and mix on low speed to incorporate the flour, 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 cups flour. Mix on medium speed until the flour is fully integrated. Add the salt and the remaining 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is fully mixed and creates a well-formed ball.

? Raise the speed to medium-high to knead the dough 10 minutes. Remove the bowl, cover with a clean dry towel and let rise 20 minutes. The dough will expand, but not double in size.

? Bring 2 quarts water to boil in a wide shallow pot over high heat. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

? Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each dough ball into an 8-inch rope. Wet the ends with water and twist them tightly together to form a 3-inch wide ring. Place the rings on a floured surface and cover with the towel to rise 10 minutes.

? Drop 3 to 4 bagels into the water, taking care not to crowd them, and boil 1œ minutes, then flip them gently with a slotted spoon and let boil another 1œ minutes. Remove and place on a rack to dry. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place 6 bagels each on parchment-lined baking sheets.

? In a small bowl, beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water to form an egg wash. Brush the tops of the bagels liberally and season with desired toppings.

? Bake 15 minutes, then rotate the pans and bake another 10 minutes, until the bagels are golden brown. Bagels will keep in a paper bag at room temperature for a few days or frozen in plastic up to 6 months.