The bagel is a breakfast classic, and great ones are hard to find. If you don't live near a bakery, or if you just like the challenge of making your own, the following recipe should get you started.
To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, then knead until smooth, using your hands, an electric mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl covered with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
To prepare the water bath: Put the water into a large, shallow pan; it should be about 3" deep. Add the malt and sugar. Bring the water to a boil while you're shaping the bagels.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape it into a ball. Poke a hole through the center with your index finger, and twirl; the dough will form a ring.
Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet as they're shaped.
Once all the bagels are shaped, reduce the boiling water bath to a very gentle simmer. Starting with the first bagels you shaped, gently transfer 3 or 4 at a time to the water bath; don't crowd them. Simmer them for about 30 seconds on each side, then return them to the baking sheet.
Bake the bagels for 20 minutes, or until they're a deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool them on a rack.
Storage information: Serve bagels warm or at room temperature. Store at room temperature, well wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.
