Make Dough

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients and mix again on low speed for 5-6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and tacky to the touch.

   My water was 110 degrees F. The water shouldn't be hotter than 120 degrees F - otherwise this can kill the sourdough starter.
   150 grams active sourdough starter, 250 grams water, warm, 250 grams bread flour, 40 grams sugar, 11 grams salt, 250 grams whole wheat flour
2. Remove the dough and knead until smooth. Do so by folding a portion of the dough towards the center and pressing down with the heel of your hand. Repeat about 20 times, then place it in a lightly greased, straight-edged bowl. Cover and wait until it doubles in size.

   This took about 8-10 hours in my 70 degree F kitchen. The timing depends greatly on the temperature of your dough and environment. The warmer it is, the faster the dough will rise. The opposite is true for cooler kitchens.
3. Once the dough has doubled in size, you can either cover the dough and store it in the fridge overnight or proceed to shaping right away.
4. When ready to shape, punch it down to remove all of the air bubbles. Then, place the dough on a clean work surface. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 112 grams each.
5. Pull the corners of each piece toward the center, flip, and then roll each piece of dough into a tight, round dough ball. Use your thumb to punch a hole in the middle of the dough ball. Stretch the dough ball with both thumbs about 2 inches, then place each bagel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
6. Cover the baking sheet with this plastic cover and let the dough rest for its second rise. The final proof is complete when the bagels have grown and look puffy.

   In my 70 degree F kitchen, this took about 1-2 hours with room temperature dough. If the dough is cold from being in the fridge, the second rise took more like 3-4 hours.
7. Once the second rise is almost complete, prepare the boil bath. Fill a large pot with about 10 cups of water. Once the water is boiling, add the honey and stir until it is dissolved. Boil 2-3 bagels at a time, 30 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove each bagel and place them on a wire rack. Immediately top with any toppings while they are still damp, if desired. Press firmly so the topping adheres to the bagel dough. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
   24 grams honey
8. Once all of the Sourdough Whole Wheat Bagels have been boiled, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
9. Bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!