In a large mixing bowl (or right in the bowl of your stand mixer, if you like), stir together the sourdough starter, water, and sugar with a fork to break up the starter. It doesn't have to be perfectly incorporated into the water.

Add the flour and the salt. Mix until there's no loose flour. I find it's easiest to start mixing with the fork and then switch to using my hand as the dough stiffens and gets less sticky.

Knead the dough for eight minutes. You can do this by hand, but it's much easier in a stand mixer since this dough is quite stiff. In a stand mixer, use the dough hook on Speed 2.

Clean the bowl and oil it. Use your hands to work the dough into a nice ball and place it in the bowl. Turn it over a few times to coat with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel, a plate that's big enough to sit on the rim of the bowl, or plastic wrap.

Let the dough rise for eight hours. At this point, you can make the bagels or stash the dough in the fridge overnight.

Line a half sheet pan with a silpat or a piece of parchment. Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C with a rack in the center.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface. You generally shouldn't need flour, but every once in a while depending on conditions, I find the dough is a little stickier and it helps to toss down a bit of flour.

Divide the dough into eight roughly equal pieces. I usually work with wedges, but it doesn't really matter what shape you cut the pieces. Use your hands to tuck the ends of each piece underneath until you've formed a nice, smooth ball with no visible seams.

Place the balls on the lined baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Now is when we shape the bagels! Use an index finger to poke a hole in the center of each ball, then lift it up and use your hands to widen the hole to about an inch diameter, making the dough into a ring shape. When you place the bagel back onto the baking sheet, the hole will close up a bit. That's fine.

Cover the bagels again with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes. You can prep the boiling water while you wait.

Fill a medium pot halfway with water and stir in the honey. Bring to a boil.

Two at a time, carefully drop the bagels into the boiling water. After a few seconds, they'll float. (If they stick slightly to the bottom of the pot, you can give them a gentle nudge with a utensil to unstick them and they should float right away.)

Once they float, boil for 45 seconds or so on one side. Then flip and boil for 45 seconds on the other side. Remove from the water with a strainer or slotted spoon, dab on a few paper towels to remove excess water, and place back on the lined baking sheet.

When bagels are just cool enough to handle, add any toppings by pouring the topping evenly onto a medium-sized plate and pressing the top of the bagel gently into the topping until it's coated to your liking.

Repeat until all bagels are boiled and topped.

Slide the sheet pan into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bagels are lightly browned. When they're done, they'll feel fairly light and the crust will be firm, golden, and positively bagel-like.

Let cool on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.