6 cups bread flour plus 1 cup for sprinkling
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups warm water (100F)
3-4 quarts boiling water with 1-1/2 tablespoons of sugar added
1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon cold water
In a large bowl, add 6 cups flour, and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix. Add the 3 cups of hot water. Mix until dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Knead for 10 minutes, adding sprinkles of flour to control stickiness. Form dough into a ball. Place in a bowl greased with vegetable shortening. Turn the dough around in the bowl once or twice to coat with shortening. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for about an hour in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
When the dough has sufficiently risen, turn it out of the bowl onto a floured work surface. Press the air out of the dough with extended fingers. Cut dough into 12 segments. Roll each into a smooth ball and let relax for a few minutes. With the palm of your hand, flatten each ball somewhat. Take each flattened dough and poke a hole in the center with your finger and pull the hole open keeping the bagel uniform in thickness. Place bagels close together on counter and cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for about 10 minutes.
Drop 3-4 bagels into the boiling water, or as many as you can fit without crowding. Boil for one minutes on each side Place bagels on a towel to drain for a few minutes. Repeat until all bagels have been boiled. Place bagels on baking sheets which have been greased with vegetable shortening. They can sprinkled with cornmeal also. Spread bagels out as much as possible.
With a Barbecue brush, paint each bagel with egg white and water wash. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds or leave plain. Bake in preheated 400F oven for 25 – 30 minutes.Cool on wire racks.