Homemade Bagels

I made my first batch of bagels for brunch this morning. I used a recipe from the internet that used my bread machine to make the dough, then I boiled them on my stove and baked them in the oven. They were markedly better than any bagel I have ever purchased in the Washington DC metro area. That didn't surprise me, because the half-life of a fresh bagel is about 30 minutes. What did surprise me is that they are now, 8 hours later, still significantly better than any bagel I have ever purchased in the Washington DC metro area. What gives? Why can nobody here make a decent bagel? Or am I looking in the wrong place?

In case you were curious, the recipe:

BREAD MACHINE BAGELS

Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 cups bread flour
1 package active dry yeast
large pot of boiling water
cornmeal
egg white

Directions
1. Place water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select "Bagel Dough" setting.
2. When cycle is complete, let dough rest on a lightly floured surface. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with your choice of toppings.
5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until well browned.

Topping
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon dried garlic flakes
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon kosher salt

This recipe is foolproof. I know this, because I am a fool.

Original Post: http://donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=5376&st=50&gopid=180140&#entry180140