Bagel Dough
Makes 8 bagels
Recipe is a modified version from Serious Eats 
Ingredients: 
  • 6 ounces cold water
  • 2 ounces unbleached bread flour
 
  • 14 oz unbleached bread flour
  • 4 oz lukewarm water
  • 1 tablespoon molasses, brown sugar, or honey
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) instant yeast
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons (10.5 grams) kosher salt
  • Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray
For boiling bagels
  • 2 to 3 quarts water 
  • 2 Tablespoons barley malt syrup or brown sugar
  • Toppings such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt, onion flakes, or garlic flakes 
Instructions: 
  1. In a ten inch saute pan, stir 6 ounces cold water and 2 ounces flour over medium heat until it reaches approximately 150F and forms a paste that sticks to the spoon. Cool until 80 degrees. For more information about this process see this article about tangzhong.
  2. This dough works very well in a food processor. If you don't have one then use a mixer. Combine remaining flour, salt and yeast in mixer bowl. Mix paste with 4 ounces lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon molasses, brown sugar or honey. Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl of a food processor and mix for approximately 90 seconds. If using an electric mixer, knead on low speed with dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Let dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes (autolyse). Continue to knead on medium speed until the dough is elastic, pulls away from the sides of the mixer bowl, and is no longer sticky, 7 to 10 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled large bowl or bag, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. 
  3. Divide the total weight by 8 to get the weight for each bagel. Divide the dough into 8 equally-sized pieces (they should be about 3 ounces) using the scale. Pre-shape the bagels by rolling each piece into a ball. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
  4. To form the bagels, use your thumb and index finger poke a hole all the way through in the center of each dough ball. Gently work all of your fingers into the hole, stretching it to form a larger hole, about 2 inches in diameter. Alternatively, roll dough into a twelve inch rope, overlap the ends, roll to join. Place the shaped bagels onto the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Cover bagels with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to proof for 8 to 12 hours or put in proof box for 20-30 minutes.
  6. Remove bagels from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  7. Fill a large, wide pot with water to a depth of about 4 inches. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Add 2 tablespoons barley malt syrup or sugar.
  8. Gently place proofed bagels into the simmering water bath. Simmer bagels for 30 seconds on each side and then remove from the water bath with a slotted spoon. Blot bottom side dry on paper towel. Place on oiled parchment-lined baking sheet. While bagels are still wet, sprinkle with toppings.
  9. Reduce heat to 425 and bake bagels until evenly browned and crisp, about 20-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time.
  10. Let bagels cool completely before slicing and serving.