Place sugar and yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Don't stir it. Let is sit for about five minutes then stir it together.

Sift the flour and salt into your electric mixer bowl. Make a hole in the middle of the flour, then pour in the yeast mixture.

Pour in another 1/2 cup of the warm water into the hole. Using a wooden spoon, mix it all up until you have a scraggly mixture. Keep adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time until your dough is moist and firm.

Using your dough hook, mix the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour if the dough is sticking too much.

Brush a large bowl lightly with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm bowl for one hour. Then, punch the dough down and let it rise for another ten minutes.

Cut the dough into 8 even pieces and shape each one into a round ball. Using a floured finger, make a hole in the middle and form each ball into a bagel.

Place each bagel on a cookie sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Using a slotted spoon, lower the bagels into the water. Boil each side for one to two minutes on each side, depending on how chewy you like your bagels.

If you'd like to put some toppings on your bagels, do it as you take them out of the water. Brush each one with an egg wash (whisked egg + 1 tablespoon milk) and then cover in your toppings.

Place all boiled and topped bagels on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden brown.