Dare Me to Cook

By far the best bagel recipe I have tried to date.  Still not equal to a top notch NYC bagel, but even those are getting harder to find. More and more bagels are assuming that "bread with a hole" characteristic that most home bagel recipes have. These bagels were chewy with a slightly crisp crust and lots of flavor thanks to a long overnight fermentation in the fridge.

High gluten bread flour and malt syrup are key to this formulas success. While you can substitute bread flour and honey, I think it is well worth the effort to hunt down these ingredients (online if you must, King Arthur Flour's website carries both) if you are looking to replicate a true bagel.

(NOTE: I skipped bread #2 -- Artos, Greek Celebration bread -- because I wanted to track the authentic spices mentioned as alternatives. I plan to make this one for Easter.)