Makes 1 dozen medium bagels.

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 scant Tablespoon (1 package) dry yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 scant Tablespoon salt

4 1/2 cups flour, approx. All purpose or half bread flour & half all purpose

Mix all ingredients and then knead for 10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour to keep workable. You will have a smooth, springy dough. Use a timer, do the whole time.

Cover the dough and allow to rise 15 minutes. Do not allow to over rise.

Punch down the dough, make a smooth, even ball, divide into thirds and make 3 smooth even balls. Divide each ball evenly into halves & make a smooth ball, then each of the six balls in halves, so you have 12 balls. Each time you divide the dough, try to smooth the edges into the middle, so you keep the even, smooth gluten coat of the original ball stretched over the outside.

Lightly flour a smooth surface for the bagels to rise. Take each ball and poke a hole through the middle with your finger. Gently stretch and turn the dough ball to make a large hole in the middle of a bagel sized lump. When you put the bagels to rise, don't let them touch each other. Cover and let rise 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat an egg yolk with a little water or milk. Set out poppy seeds. kosher salt, chopped onion or garlic, sesame seeds, or no toppings, depending on your preference. 

Meanwhile, boil a gallon of water in a big soup kettle. Cover metal rack with a lint-free dishtowel. When 20 minutes are up & water is boiling gently, add salt (as if for pasta) and about a Tablespoon of baking soda to the water. Gently transfer first bagels to water -- don't crowd them. Simmer,covered, for a total of 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, turning over midway. remove to towel covered rack to drain, using slotted spoon. Put the next bagels gently into the water and repeat gently boiling/ simmering. remove to rack. I can boil six at a time in the big, light blue soup kettle.

When all bagels have been boiled and drained -- the draining does not need to be for long, place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush them lightly with egg wash and sprinkle on toppings. Over-abundant egg will make the bagels stick like mad to the cooky tray.

Bake until nicely drowned and remove immediately from tray to cool on rack. 25-30 minutes.

Don't try to double or increase recipe. Don't allow to over rise. You can have them hot on the table in about 2 hours.