Expert: Ralph Onesti - 2/10/2012

Question
Hi Ralph; You helped me out in 2010. I'm turning out some GREAT bagels-thanks. My question: I have been using homemade bagel boards but they are a bit cumbersome. I also used sheet pans in the oven on occasion with no noticeable difference. What is the advantage of using the boards? Are they still in use? The old bagel shops used them and a recipe from King Arthurs master baker includes them in his technique. Thanks for your knowledge!  Frank

Answer
Hi Frank:

Bagel boards are actually "flipping" boards. They are usually covered on couche linen.

We like to soak the linen on the board with water so the last longer.

The advantage is that you start the bake on the bagel, top side down for about five minutes to get color, then you flip them over making the bagels hit the deck bottom side down to finish the bake. This way the toppings, if any, stay on and you get a hearth baked product.

They are in use in traditional bagel bakeries and if you think hearth baking is better, then the boards are the way to go.

Easier is pan baking the bagel, but then you loose the hearth baked result. You might want to try perforated pans in place of the traditional bun pan.

I do bialys on a hearth oven because I think the refractive material on the deck does a better job.

The normal bagel board is cumbersome depending on the length and how many bagels you want to flip at once.

Did you fashion a handle at one end to facilitate flipping?