Adam - this recipe is very faulty. It doesn't allow for proper rising
and dough development, and it grossly overstates the time necessary
for boiling. Depending on your recipe and how light you like your
bagels, they should rise to 1 1/2 to 2 times original size after
shaping before simmering; then about 1 - 1 1/2 minute per side,
until they float to the top. More risen bagels may not sink at all.
And the water should be just simmering, not at a rolling boil.
Then drain briefly, dip in sesame, poppy seeds, etc. and bake. *Not broil.*
Some recipes suggest diastatic malt powder in the water - you can try
this if you wish. I haven't got around to it. Or a tablespoon of
wheatlets (Cream of Wheat) boiled in the water for a few minutes will
help form the glazed surface. If your bagels have been resting on
wheatlets as they rise, a good bakery tradition, the accumulation of
the adherent wheatlets in the water will have the same effect. Do not
use high-protein bread flour; instead of regular all-purpose, which
is okay, try to get some baker's clear or plain flour. The lower
protein flour is better for bagels as well as classic French breads.
Also, about 10% light rye flour in the mix provides a more authentic
texture and flavour.
These points are for a New York or Toronto-style bagel, not a
Montreal-style bagel, about which, in my opinion, the less said the better!
Roel