They have both German- and Slovakian-made cane brotforms and bannetons, both at prices rather less than I've seen most other places.

http://fantes.com/brotforms.html

Just wondering. Not getting a stand mixer opens up about $350 for some other needed bread-related things.

Hello all,

I purchased a brotform from the baker's catalogue and have used it several times, yet my finished loaf never seems to come out like those in the cookbooks or even here on TFL.  I usually get some spiral design, but it is not consistent over the entire loaf.  How much and how often do you flour the brotform?  I've heard that some use a 50/50 mix of white rice flour and bread flour.  Is this blend used on the brotform as well? 

Also, it seems that whenever I use the brotform to proof my bread, the bread tends to dehydrate on the outside and form a bit of a skin.  I haven't noticed any problem with volume or oven spring, so I don't think this is causing too much of a problem, I'm just wondering if anyone else has noticed this.  I usually proof the dough in a brotform and then stick that inside of one of these jumbo ziplock bags I found at the grocery store. Yesterday, I tried putting a cup of hot water in the bag with the brotform, but I don't think it made a difference.  When I went to score the dough, there was still a bit of skin to break through.

I'd appreciate any thoughts.  Thanks.

Hey you guys.  Anybody out there need some plastic bannetons / brotforms?  I'm doing all of my bread shaping 'freeform' and haven't used them for a few months so I figured I would clear some space and sell them off.  I'm asking $8 each, plus shipping on top of that.  The number I have of each is in (parenthesis) and I'm selling them first come, first served.  They are all German made, and the shiny green round ones are the vented kind.  They've all been used but are clean and dishwasher safe.  If you're interested, you can post here or email me at the bakery at    
Thanks.
-Mark

Hey,

I'm looking for bannetons/brotforms in Montreal. I feel like there should be a place that sells them because there's much bread in this city! :)

I've tried Ares, Quincallerie Dante, La Soupière and Les Touilleurs but to no avail.

Any suggestions/leads would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

I discovered this forum when searching the web for a reasonably-priced brotform basket.

Finding none, I read some of the earlier brotform posts and realized that this baking item seems to be universally overpriced.

Decided to take matters into my own hands. It worked!

Grabbed a roll of 7/16" OD x 20' vinyl tubing at Home Depot, $5.55 with tax. I am confident this stuff is food-safe - I have used it for years for brewing beer and it's what moves air and water in millions of fishtanks around the world.

Hi all,

Today I bought a couple of wicker baskets at a thrift store. I want to use them as brotforms/bannetons (one came lined with linen). My question is how to clean them. I don't know "where they've been", and would rather clean them first. Is washing them in warm sudsy water a good idea? Can I remove the linen off one of the baskets and place in the washing machine?

Thanks,

Boaz 

Hello all,

I am about to start final-proofing my dough in my new frotform.....

The directions say I need to treat them first with "Baker's Joy" or a similar "Grease dust" ???What does that mean?

Can I just oil them?

Let me know fassssssssst.....

Thanks all you so much

Srishti