Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels

Instructions

The Night Before

1. Using a dough whisk, wooden spoon, or silicone spatula, mix all the bagel ingredients in a large bowl. Once the dough comes together let it rest for 5 minutes.
2. Do a few rounds of stretch and fold in the bowl, resting the dough for 5 minutes between each round. Once the dough is smooth and stretchy cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it ferment overnight.

The Next Morning

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut and weigh the dough into 16 equal pieces, about 120 grams each.
2. Lay a large sheet of parchment paper off to the side of the work area.
3. Preshape each piece of dough into a tight ball the same way you would for buns. Set them seam side down on the parchment.
4. Once all the dough is formed into balls, cover them with a damp flour sack towel and let them rest for 1 hour.

Boiling and Baking the Bagels

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F with two baking racks evenly spaced in the center.
2. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. I use the half sheet pan size (18 by 13-inch).
3. Have your desired toppings ready.
4. In a large pot bring the water and other boiling ingredients to a strong boil. I use my 8-quart stockpot.
5. Uncover the dough and drop a large pinch of dry flour on the top and center of each dough ball.
6. Working one at a time, push the thumb of your dominant hand down through the center of the flour and dough until it reaches the paper underneath.
7. With your thumb against the paper, gently swirl your hand, spinning the dough around your thumb until the hole is fully coated with flour.
8. Lift the bagel from the paper, and without deflating it, use your other hand to gently stretch the hole to about 2 inches wide. Rotate the dough during stretching to get an even circle.
9. Gently drop the dough into the boiling water with the top side down first. Cook on the first side for 1 minute. If you can work fast enough, add two to three more bagels to the water. This is also dependent on the size of the pot; the bagels should not be touching.
10. Use a slotted spoon to flip the bagels starting with the first one in the pot. Cook the bagels on the second side for 1 more minute.
11. Remove the bagels from the pot, letting excess water drip off them. Slip them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet with a little room around each one.
12. Once all the bagels from that batch have been removed, top the wet bagels with your favorite toppings, or leave them plain.
13. Start boiling the next batch of bagels and continue this process until they have all been boiled with toppings added.
14. Place the bagels in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.
15. When the timer goes off, rotate the pans and switch their positions in the oven, allowing for even baking.
16. Bake the bagels for 10 more minutes or until golden brown.
17. Remove the bagels from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool.