Home » Forums » General Discussion and Recipe Exchange » General
Submitted by hydestone on September 25, 2009 - 7:26pm

Swirled Flour Pattern on Top of Loaf

How do you make those swirled flour patterns on top of a loaf?

‹ Empty Flour Bags Bread soft and moist...why does it break apart? ›
Filed under:
Submitted by LindyD on September 25, 2009 - 7:45pm.

Comes from the container

Which is called a brotform

It does needed to be floured to keep the dough from sticking.

Submitted by bassopotamus on September 25, 2009 - 10:33pm.

AKA Banneton

Brotform from German, Banneton from french, and the slovakian ones from Fantes are a good deal

 

http://fantes.com/brotforms.html

Submitted by LindyD on September 26, 2009 - 6:30am.

Semantics and traditions

From what I've read, traditional French bannetons are lined with linen and made from willow.  No pattern is produced because of the linen.  

The brotforms (German tradition) shown at Fantes are made from coiled reed, which causes the pattern in the dough.

I know that most people use either term to describe a proofing basket, but I wonder if there are any recipes which call for specific use of one or the other.  

I don't have a banneton but I do have a brotform.  Applying the Alton Brown multi-tasking philosophy, I can make a linen insert and have the best of both traditions!

 

Submitted by dghdctr on September 26, 2009 - 9:43pm.

And, if you aren't handy with sewing . . .

I think TMB baking and/or FBM bakery machines (two diff. companies) carry linen covers with elastic bands that will fit over the coiled brotformen.  They give you the flexibility you want for the look you might prefer on any given loaf variety, and they also make keeping the baskets clean a cinch.

I use either type of basket for any type of bread I choose, but it's fair to say that the French generally use the linen-covered baskets for almost anything that needs the support.   The extraordinary amount of flour you'll see on the loaves from Poilane's bakery (http://www.poilane.fr/) are a result of needing all of it to keep their sticky, wet levain loaves from adhering to the linen.

If any of you come across an inexpensive source for the ring-shaped baskets, please let us all know!  I've seen wholesale prices ranging from 70 to over 120 dollars each.  I already own a couple, but I'd like to have at least four for special occasions.

--Dan DiMuzio

user icon
Submitted by dmsnyder on September 26, 2009 - 9:55pm.

Bannetons for couronnes?

Hi, Dan.

If that's what you seek, check out fantes.com. How does $27.99 sound?

David

Submitted by dghdctr on September 27, 2009 - 7:16am.

Great! Thanks, David!

This is terrific.

user icon
Submitted by caseymcm on September 28, 2009 - 9:53pm.

Cheapest I've seen

Hi Dan,

At brotform.com they have several sizes of round and oval cane baskets.  Rounds ones go for $16.99 for 9" and $20.99 for 10.5".  They also have cotton liners for most sizes.

 

-Casey

Submitted by dghdctr on September 28, 2009 - 10:50pm.

Thanks!

Thanks for the tip, Casey.

--Dan DiMuzio

Submitted by hydestone on September 30, 2009 - 9:26am.

thanks for the info

those look great...not sure I am going to dish out the cash for them, but we'll see.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.