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1
Mix the flour, 2 teaspoons of the salt, the yeast, the honey and the water in a large bowl until the mixture forms into a sticky dough (it is best to do this by hand). Allow the dough to rest, uncovered, for about 8-10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 5-6 minutes and then shape into a ball. Place the dough into a well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a cool oven for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper and set aside.
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2
Remove the dough from the oven. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and then roll each ball into an 8-10-inch log. Form each dough log into a circular shape. Be sure to tightly squeeze the dough ends together (they should overlap by about an inch). Repeat for all of the bagels. Lightly oil the bagels on all sides, place them on the greased parchment paper, and tightly cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Store the baking sheet in the fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
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3
The next day, remove the baking sheet from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Fill a large pot about halfway with water. Bring the water to a boil. When the water boils, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the baking soda to the water. Lower the heat to a simmer. Drop the bagels, a few at a time, into the simmering water (just be sure they have enough room to bob around). Allow the bagels to poach for two minutes and then gently flip the bagels and allow them to poach for an additional two minutes on the other side. Remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the greased parchment paper on the baking sheet. Repeat for all bagels.
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4
Once all the bagels have been poached, apply a light egg wash to the top of each bagel and then generously sprinkle each bagel with whatever toppings you like. Place the baking sheet into the hot oven. Drop the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until the bagels are a nice golden color. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the bagels to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
