Homemade Bagels

Bagels
2 T unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 tsp yeast
2 1/4 c warm water
2 T sugar
3 T shortening
1 T salt
1 - 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 c bread flour

For the bagel boil
Water
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda

1. Brush a large bowl with the melted butter and set aside.
2. Whisk yeast into 1/4 c of the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add a pinch of sugar.
3. After a few minutes, pour the remaining water, shortening, sugar, salt, and pepper into the mixing bowl. Use the dough hook to stir it up a little bit.
4. Add 5 - 6 cups of flour, a cup at a time, stopping when you have a soft sticky dough, about 2 - 3 minutes.
5. Knead for 5 - 6 minutes on medium.
6. Transfer the dough to the buttered bowl, brush the top with butter, and cover with buttered plastic wrap. Allow it to rise for 1 hour.
7. Deflate the dough, cover, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
8. After 4 hours, divide the dough into equal parts to shape into bagels.
   Note: The original recipe says to divide the dough in half, and then into 8 pieces, but I found those bagels too large. I divided it in half and then into 10 - 12 pieces, making 20 - 24 pieces total.
9. Shape the dough into balls by stretching the skin tight.
10. Poke a hole into the middle of the ball and begin to stretch it gently until it forms a large ring.
    Note: There are many different techniques to shape bagels. Some folks start with a long piece of dough and then connect the ends, others start with balls and poke holes in the middle. I would try both to see which works best for you!
11. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees for at least 20 minutes prior to baking the bagels. Note: Place a roasting pan or a pie pan on the bottom rack of the oven and fill with boiling water. This will create a steamy environment in which to bake the bagels. Alternately, you can use a spray bottle for the first 2 minutes the bagels are in the oven.
12. In a pot, combine the water, sugar, and baking soda to boil the bagels.
13. Boil the bagels one or two at a time, flipping to cook both sides. 
14. Remove the bagels from the water and place them on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
    Note: They will look really knobby when they come out of the water, so make sure you put the nicer side up when you place them on the baking sheet. 
15. Use an egg wash on the top of the bagels, making sure not to drop the egg over the edge of the bagel onto the parchment. This will essentially 'glue' the top of the bagel to the parchment and will prevent it from rising.
16. Top the bagels with salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or whatever else you'd like, while the egg wash is still damp. 
17. Put the bagels in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 450. Bake for 25 minutes.
18. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.