Homemade Bagels

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups bread flour
• 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 5 1/3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• Poppy seeds, sesame seeds and coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Steps

1. For the poolish, stir the bread flour, yeast and 1 cup lukewarm water together in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Fit a standing mixer with the dough hook and combine the yeast, honey and 1 2/3 cups lukewarm water in its bowl. Mix in the poolish, then add the bread flour, whole wheat flour and salt. Beat on medium for 5 to 7 minutes to form a smooth, stiff dough. Knead it on a lightly floured work surface for 1 minute, shape it into a ball and put it in a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment and generously brush or spray it with vegetable oil. Split the dough into 12 pieces, shape tight balls and put them on the sheet. Cover loosely with sprayed plastic wrap and leave for 30 minutes.
4. Push a finger into the center of each ball to create a 1/2-inch hole. Put the bagels back on the baking sheet, cover and leave to rise for about 1 hour. Test by placing 1 bagel in a bowl of cold water: floating means they have risen enough.
5. Heat the oven to 475°F, with racks in the lower and middle thirds. Line 1 baking sheet with a clean, lightly moistened kitchen towel and 2 more with parchment, spraying the paper with oil. Bring water to a boil in 2 large, deep pots and add 1/2 tablespoon baking soda to each. Without crowding, put 2 or 3 bagels into each pot; they will swell in the water. Simmer for 1 1/2 minutes, flip them and simmer for 1 1/2 minutes more. Drain them on the towel-lined sheet using a slotted spoon. Before they dry, generously sprinkle on the toppings and immediately move them to the parchment-lined sheets. Repeat for the rest of the bagels.
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until deeply browned, moving the pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool slightly before serving.