• Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a large mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Add in the salt and 3 cups of the bread flour. Stir or mix until sticky. Add in the jalapeños and the last cup of flour. Keep folding to combine.
• Knead the dough in the bowl or on a floured surface for about 3-5 minutes. Place the dough back in the mixing bowl.
• Cover the dough bowl and allow the dough to rise for two hours - or a bit less. Make sure your kitchen is warmish and not cold.

After the dough rising...

• Turn out the risen dough - onto a floured surface. Knead the cheddar into the dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Add more flour if things get to sticky.
• Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Fill a large soup pot with water and add ¼ cup of barely malt syrup - agave or coconut sugar will work too, but barley malt syrup is most authentic.
• Divide dough into 9 small rounds. Knead rounds and press into small balls. Press finger through the center to create a bagel hole.
• When water is boiling and bagels are formed, boil about three bagels at a time for 1-2 minutes. When done, using a mesh strainer, transfer the bagels to your parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with all your bagels.
• Sprinkle coarse sea salt over top the bagels on the baking sheet. You can also add a few extra pieces of cheese and slices of jalapeño on top, if desired.
• Bake bagels at 450 degrees for 25 minutes, or until bronzed on top, poofy, yet still fluffy and soft inside.
• Remove bagels from oven. Cool bagels on a baking rack. If not serving all the bagels right away - when they are mostly cooled, slice and freeze as halves - this makes it easy to pop them in a toaster. Enjoy!