Homemade Bagels

4 cups bread flour

1 Tbls sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 Tbls vegetable oil

2 tsps instant yeast

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix all of the ingredients in one bowl. The dough should feel stiff. If it's too stiff or you can't incorporate all of the flour, add a few Tbls more water.

Knead for about 10 minutes (either by hand on the counter or in a mixer with the dough hook) until the dough is uniform and smooth.

Cut into 8 equal sized balls and let rest on the counter for 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 425F (240C).

Take each dough ball and shape into the bagel shape. Roll it out like making a snake or like for challah and then, holding in near one end, wrap it around the back of your hand so that the two ends meet near your palm, and squish/roll the ends together. Place the rings back onto the counter.

Let them rest for another 20 minutes. In the meantime, boil a large pot of water.

Once the bagels have rested and the water is boiling, take two or three at a time (so they can float independently in the water) and put them into the boiling water. Let them float for about 1 minute and then flip them for another minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and let them drain on a rack for a few minutes.

Place the boiled bagels onto a baking tray covered with a lightly oiled baking mat or parchment paper. Top with whatever seasonings you want, and bake for 20 minutes - flipping them halfway through.

Let them rest/cool for a further 10 minutes and enjoy!