January 10, 2017 - 10:18am
Proofing baskets - unlined rattan/bamboo vs lined wicker baskets
Is there a difference between proofing in a rattan/bamboo/cane bannetons vs the linen lined wicker baskets. I see that most bakeries use the lined wicker baskets and wanted to make an informed choice on my purchase.
In addition - does anyone have a good supplier in the UK (or that ships internationally) at an affordable price for good quality bannetons. I find that Bakerybits is a bit of a rip off.
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I searched this forum for posts on the subject and came across a recommendation for
www.luckyclovertrading.com
so I ordered some proofing baskets from them. I received them a couple of weeks ago and prepared them by spraying them with water, coating them with AP flour and letting them dry. Since then I have been using them regularly without any liner, however I re-coat the basket with rice flour before each use (dry, no water).
Here's a shot of a bake using the baskets:
I use all kinds of different things, including unlined cane bannetons, unlined wicker baskets and colanders or bowls lined with cotton kitchen towels or napkins from the thrift shop. The cane bannetons all come from China in one form or another (either the completed baskets or the cane used to make them elsewhere), so I wouldn't worry, as some do, about using unlined 'cheap' cane bannetons. The expensive ones are just the same! The ones I have I bought on ebay and they are fine. The wicker baskets I use are from Chinatown where I live and are a couple bucks apiece. Sometimes I line them and sometimes I don't. The advantage to using a liner is that you can remove it and wash it if you're worried about things like that. The advantage to not using a liner is getting the pretty patterns from the floured basket or banneton.
Thank you very much ! I think then I will go with the China ones on eBay. The only thing is there is no guidance on dough size :(
I use both lined and unlined, and I also have some baskets from Lucky Clover (made in China). To give you some guidance, an 8" round brotform (cane basket like you pictured) will hold 500-650g of dough nicely. I've pushed it to 750g but it is hard to keep enough rice flour on the topmost canes to totally prevent sticking.
I recently discovered quite by accident that using a lined basket gives my crusts a very nice shiny-glossy finish. The ones proofed without liners are more matte finish.
I think that places like breadtopia.com sell them with removable lineers so you can have the best of both worlds.
-Brad
http://www.brotformen24.de - not cane, or lined, cheapest, requires decent size orders (10 at a time) to be economical due to shipping, I just got a box of 10 750g ovals and that came to ~£6.10 each when taking VAT and shipping into consideration http://www.souschef.co.uk - fast, easy and plenty of options http://breadmatters.com - good prices and options, terrible website and checkout
In the US, Fantes carries baskets made in euro countries (germany and slovakia) - boy, their prices have pretty much doubled from when I bought mine a couple years ago. The ones from SFBI used to be Slovakian as well, not sure where they are made now.