I made these bagels last week. They were the BEST bagels I have ever had. It was just a bit more effort than making bread. I was worried about them after kneading the dough in the mixer, because it really was quite dry and did not form a perfectly smooth dough. Even though I wasn't very good at making the dough rings, they still looked like perfect bagels after boiling and baking.

I didn't use a baking stone; i removed the silicone mat a few minutes into baking, and it browned nicely.

Thanks!