San Francisco Style Bagels

Ingredients

• 1 pound bread flour, divided in half
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cornmeal, or as needed
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, or more if desired

Directions

Combine half the flour, yeast, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover and set aside at room temperature until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the other half of the flour into the flour-water mixture. Knead with the dough hook of the stand mixer until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball that pulls away from the sides, about 10 minutes.

Flour your hands, remove the dough and gently form it into a ball. Place back in the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Divide dough into 8 equally-sized pieces, about 3 ounces each. Form each piece into a ball and poke a hole in the center, stretching to create an open and even-sized hole. Place on a floured surface, sprinkle with additional flour, cover with plastic, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal.

Bring 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons honey to a boil in a wide, deep pan. Working in batches, boil 2 to 3 bagels for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

Place bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and cooked inside, 25 to 30 minutes.