👨‍🍳 Combine warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add the packet of active dry yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy.

👨‍🍳 Add the all-purpose flour, salt, brown sugar, and honey or barley malt syrup to the yeast mixture. Stir the ingredients together until a shaggy dough forms.

👨‍🍳 Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.

👨‍🍳 Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

👨‍🍳 Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball and create a hole in the center with your fingers.

👨‍🍳 Let the shaped bagels rest for 15–20 minutes.

👨‍🍳 Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop the bagels into the boiling water for 30 seconds on each side.

👨‍🍳 Remove the bagels from the water and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

👨‍🍳 Brush each bagel with beaten egg and sprinkle with your choice of toppings.

👨‍🍳 Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown.