Whole Wheat Bagels

2-1/4 cup hot water
2 Tbs. plus 1/3 cup mild honey, divided (clover, tupelo, or sage)
2-1/4 tsp. sea salt
5+ cups whole wheat flour, divided
2 tsp. INSTANT yeast

In a large bowl, combine water, 2 tablespoons honey, and salt. Add 2-1/2 cups of the flour and all of the yeast; mix well. Add remaining flour and knead to form a slightly stiff dough (about 8-10 minutes). May have to gradually add up to a cup of flour more, as dough will get sticky while kneading. Transfer dough to a large bowl and cover it with a towel. Let it rise until double in a draft-free location. This could take a couple of hours depending on weather.

Pound out the risen dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball. Allow to rest on the counter for about 10 minutes .

In a large pot bring 1 gallon of water to a boil. Once boiling, pour in 1/3 cup honey to it and stir.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Take each ball and poke your thumb through the center, forming a hole. Twirl each new bagel on your thumb to enlarge the hole, until the hole is about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Let each bagel rest on counter for about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat of the boiling water down to a very light simmer. You will cook 3 to 4 bagels at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Drop them in the simmering honey water for a total of 1 minute, turning them over once after 30 seconds.

Remove the bagels with a large, flat slotted spoon and place on greased cookie sheet. Once all bagels are on the sheet, bake for about 20 minutes, turning bagels over at the halfway point if they haven't browned evenly. Cool completely on wire rack.

Tip: The bagels may be brushed with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and 2 Tbs. water, then sprinkled with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced onion, or minced garlic. Try serving them with the homemade Garlic-Italian Cream Cheese Spread (recipe found under dips). Very tasty!

Makes 12 bagels