March 26, 2009 - 9:26pm
Preparing a banneton for first use?
I was very fortunate to visit SFBI today and I am now the proud new owner of two new bannetons.
What should I do to prepare them before using them the 1st time? They look a bit rough-should I sand them lightly or scurb them out with a dry nylon brush? Should I do anything at all? They look a bit "splintery" so I feel like they need "something".
Then, how does the flour stick? One source suggests spraying the banneton with a light coat of oil before flouring but that doesn't seem to be a common suggestion. Most sources say keep them dry and just wipe them out with a dry cloth between uses. Oil seems to be a bad idea in that case.
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http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/11247/seasoning-bannetons#comment-61431
Hi, Janknitz.
I take it you got the coiled reed brotformen.
To prepare them for use, you don't want to sand them. The roughness helps the flour stick. You don't need oil. You may want to wash them and dry them thoroughly, but I don't think it's necessary.
Mix a batch of 50% AP flour and 50% rice flour. Rub a few tablespoons of this into each brotform so all the spaces between the coils are filled. Then use them. I keep some of this mix in a glass canning jar.
Before each use, you may need to rub in a bit more of the mixture. After each use, just let them air dry completely and gently knock out any loose flour. I keep mine stacked in my pantry with a paper towel between each one. I figured putting them in a sealed, airtight bag might encourage mold growth.
I think you are going to enjoy the results they give you.
David
janknitz, which bannetons did you buy? Plastic or wood? Did you buy the cloth liners?