NEW YORK BAGEL

Ingredients

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SPONGE

• 1 Teaspoon Instant Yeast
• 4 Cups Bread Flour
• 2 1/2 Cups Water

DOUGH

• 1/2 Teaspoon Instant Yeast
• 3 3/4 Cups Bread Flour
  • Divided
• 2 3/4 Teaspoons Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Honey

FINISHING TOUCHES

• 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
• Cornmeal
• Toppings for Bagels!

Directions

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Make the Sponge, Dough and Shape the night before

SPONGE

1. Stir the yeast and flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and stir until all ingredients are blended. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for two hours.

DOUGH

1. Add additional yeast into the sponge.
   
   
2. Add 3 cups of the flour, the salt and brown sugar into the bowl and mix until all of the ingredients form a ball. You need to work in the additional 3/4 cups of flour to stiffen the dough, either while still mixing in the bowl or while kneading. The dough should be stiffer and drier than normal bread dough, but moist enough that all of the ingredients are well blended.
   
   
3. Pour the dough out of the bowl onto a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Immediately after kneading, split the dough into a dozen small pieces around 4 1/2 ounces each.
   
   
5. Roll each piece into a ball and set it aside.
   
   
6. When you have all 12 pieces made, cover them with a damp towel and let them rest for 20 minutes.

SHAPING

1. Punch your thumb through the center of each roll and then rotate the dough, working it so that the bagel is as even in width as possible.
   
   
2. If you have parchment paper, line the sheet pan with parchment and spray it lightly with oil before placing the bagels on the pan.
   
   
3. With an inch or so of space between one another (use two pans, if you need to) lay out the bagels.
   
   
4. Cover the pan with plastic and allow the dough to rise for about 20 minutes.
   
   
5. Place the pan into the refrigerator for the night.

BOIL AND BAKE

1. The Next Morning preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a clean sheet pan.
   
   
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Adding one tablespoon of baking soda to the pot to alkalize the water.
   
   
3. When the pot is boiling, drop a few of the bagels into the pot one at a time and let them boil for a minute. Use a large, slotted spoon or spatula to gently flip them over and boil them on the other side.
   
   
4. Remove them one at a time, set them onto the cornmeal sheet pan, and top them right away, while they are still slightly moist.
   
   
5. Repeat this process until all of the bagels have been boiled and topped.
   
   
6. Place the sheet pan into the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes.
   
   
7. Reduce the heat to 450 degrees, rotate the pan, and bake for another 5 minutes until the bagels begin to brown.

Notes:
A bit of work, but nothing like fresh bagels!