Place 100 ml of warm water in a large bowl with the yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar. Let for 10 mins till the mixture gets foamy.

Add the salt and half the flour to the bowl after adding 200ml of warm water. Until you have a soft but not sticky dough, keep adding the remaining flour (you might not need to use it all) and combining with your hands. Then, knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until it feels elastic and smooth. Put in a clean, lightly greased dish after forming into a ball. Cover loosely, then wait until it has doubled in size, which should take around an hour.

Oven temperature set to 220°C/200°F fan/gas 7. Divide the dough into 10 pieces, each weighing about 85g, and place them on a lightly dusted surface. Each piece should be formed into a flattish ball. Then, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke a hole through the center of each ball. To create a hole about 3 cm wide, insert the spoon into the hole and then spin the bagel around the spoon. While you shape the remaining dough, loosely wrap the bagel with a cloth.

While waiting, reheat the remaining sugar in a big pan of boiling water. Put no more than four bagels in the boiling water at once. The bagels should be cooked for 1-2 minutes, flipping them over in the water as they puff up little and develop a skin. Remove using a slotted spoon, then pour off any extra water. Put your preferred topping on top and lay it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp; when tapped, the bases should sound hollow. Serve with your favorite filling after let to cool on a wire rack.