Chewy Homemade Bagels

Makes 12 large bagels or 24 mini-bagels

Flour measurements are also given in weights (in parentheses),

so if you have a scale, weigh the flour for greater accuracy.

Sponge:
1 teaspoon instant or fast-acting yeast
4 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour (18 ounces;

we tested with Bob's Red Mill bread flour)
2 1/2 cups water, at room temperature

Dough:
1/2 teaspoon instant or fast-acting yeast
3 3/4 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour (17 ounces; divided)
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons malt powder (see note) or 1 tablespoon dark or

light malt syrup (see note), honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda

Cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting

Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt, rehydrated dried minced garlic or onions, for topping

To make sponge: Stir the 1 teaspoon yeast into the flour in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the water, whisking or stirring only until a smooth, sticky batter forms. Leave the bowl at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the mixture becomes very foamy and bubbly. It should nearly double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop. To make dough: Add the 1/2 teaspoon yeast to the sponge (in the same mixing bowl) and stir. Then add 3 cups of the flour and all of the salt and malt powder or syrup. Stir until all the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining 3/4 cup flour to stiffen the dough. If you're using a stand mixer, mix on low speed with the dough hook.

If kneading in the mixer, mix dough for about 6 minutes with the dough hook.

If kneading by hand, transfer the dough to the counter and knead for about 5 minutes, cover the dough loosely and let it rest for about 10 minutes; repeat the process once.

The dough will be very smooth, pliable and satiny (but not shiny). If the dough seems too dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading. If it seems too sticky, knead in more flour, a little at a time.

Divide the dough into 12 even pieces for the large bagels, 24 for the minis.

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and oil very lightly. Roll out a piece of dough into an 8-inch-long rope (if the dough is very elastic and hard to shape, let it rest, covered, for a few minutes). Wrap the dough around your hand, overlapping the ends by about an inch. Gently pinch and smooth the ends to seal the ring.

Place each bagel about 2 inches apart on the sheet pan. Lightly oil a piece of plastic wrap and cover the bagels. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Check to see if the bagels are ready to chill by giving one the "float test": Drop a bagel into a bowl of cool water. If it floats within 10 seconds, they're ready; if not, dry off the bagel, put it back on the sheet pan, then try again in another 10 minutes or so. After successful testing, dry off the wet bagel, replace it and put the bagels in the refrigerator. To finish bagels: The next day (or even two days later), bake the bagels. Heat the oven to 500 degrees and set 2 racks in the middle of the oven. Bring a large pot (the wider the better) of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Get a slotted spoon or a skimmer ready.

Boil the bagels, a few at a time (don't crowd the pot or the bagels will be deformed), for about 1 minute, then flip them over and boil another minute. While they're boiling, sprinkle a little cornmeal onto the sheet pans, and after boiling, return the bagels to the pans. If you're using toppings, add them now.

Bake the bagels for about 5 minutes, then switch each pan to the other shelf and rotate the pans 180 degrees. Lower the oven to 450 degrees and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until the bagels turn light golden brown. You may bake them darker if you prefer. Remove the bagels from the pans and let the bagels cool on a rack for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

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