February 1, 2010 - 1:30pm
Homemade Brotform Help
Hellow All ! ( My first post ) So anyway I made the Whole Grain Artisan Free - Form Loaf ( The Master Recipe) and it was a sucsess. My question is I used a cheap wicker basket (medium-small bump pattern) lined with linen and floured. It released just fine however no patterns were imprinted in the loaf. I read somewhere somebody used a salad spinner with sucess and they have way less relief ( bumps ) than my little basket. Any help ? Thank You, Dale
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texture from the container in most cases. The breads you see pictured with pronounced texture probably also have some distinctive flour pattern on them as well, and this result comes from using unlined proofing baskets or forms sprinkled liberally with flour. If you are after the texture and flour patterns you will need to use the linen as a top-cover only, and proof directly in your floured form or basket.
When you proof directly in your bread form you must make sure it is food-safe, especially if it is colored or dyed. Many of the "cheap" options I found on the basket aisle of the "dollar store" shops were colored and there was no information available on things like lead. That said, however, there are many, many threads here on "The Loaf" that discuss options and alternatives. Search for terms like banneton and brotform and you will find plenty of discussion.
When I started I used on old copper collander. Then I bought some cheap ceramic bowls of an attractive size and shape. From there I bought some cheap colored baskets at the local "All for a Buck", and made sure I always used linen in them. I finally broke down and bought some real willow proofing baskets, and I'm glad I did. You can spend less $$ on them if you buy plastic instead of willow, and there are a couple of sources for both on the internet. One of those is www.fantes.com, and another is http://www.sfbi.com/baking_supplies.html. The fantes site has more options.
Happy Baking
OldWoodenSpoon
I'm sure glad you raised the issue of purchasing raw baskets from discount stores without knowing their origin or suitibality for use as brotforms. Unless it's specifically intended for food use I try to avoid products like those, even when they save a few bucks.
I like the instructions at the bottom of one of your link pages. Check the bottom of this one:
http://fantes.com/brotforms.html
I should copy and paste the definitions, but I'm pooped. My day starts at 3:50.
A banneton can be a wicker/rattan/plastic/colander/basket lined with a cloth dusted with flour of some sort.
A brotform/brotformen is a coiled willow basket, in various shapes (round, oval, triangular etc) that is dusted with flour (rice flour is like teflon!) Produces a very defined pattern as opposed to a banneton.
Betty
If you did a Google search on either term, you'd get a mix of either styles so there's some confusion on what's called what, even on shopping sites. But "generally" in North America, it seems (to me) bannetons refer to the lined baskets and brotforms are the curled reed ones.
But then, even the German website brotformen.de who sell them refer to the thick cane baskets as "bannetons". The San Fran Baking Institute refer to the reed baskets as "Coiled Wicker Baskets", thereby avoiding the whole "banneton vs brotform" issue entirely.
Seems there's no easy answer on this one :)
In German, there are no "bannetons" to speak of and only when the page is translated to English, do the words "bannetons" appear. There are "lined bread forms" (brotforms) and "unlined bread forms." The "banneton" word is French.
So they're all "brotformen"? Well, that confuses everything even more. How are the thick reed and the fine rattan baskets differentiated in German?
There are also extruded bread forms and wooden breadforms. How can that be confusing?
brotformen.de has some really cool baskets/brotformen on their site and their prices are extremely reasonable too! Coil baskets that sell for a ridiculous $40 US in North America are just $8 there (converting from Euros). If only the overseas shipping was a little better priced (not that they can control that part of it).
I'm pondering the pros and cons of setting up an online Canadian supply store for all the cool bread making stuff that simply isn't available here in Canuckland. Getting brotforms in bulk from them would then be a little more feasible.
Well, I can dream. Or hope to win a lottery.
Blind Assoc. or Cottage Businesses and see what they can do about making them in Canada.
"Gaerkorb" is the best German expression I can find for a wicker or willow "proofing basket".
Indeed, if I search "Brotform" on German websites, they quite often offer to sell me steel, aluminum and various other plain or "teflon-coated" metal baking pans. I have to click around a bit to find the "baskets".
I've made a promise to myself to try to use the term "proofing basket" [for 'Brotform'] and "lined proofing basket" [for 'banetton'] from now on...(wish me luck!) and please correct me if I'm mistaken...German isn't my 'first language' any more.
Cheers,
copyu
I was also trying to get the lines on my breads. At first I was using cheap wicker baskets, which fall apart and even though they are cheap, they do not give the same look on the bread. When I saw the Luckyclovertrading.com, I broke down and bought $50 min plus shipping. I got 3 shapes of 3 each. I have put away 3 each and I am using the other six and love the lines on my breads. Here is an example of my biggest shape. The recipe is Flo's 1-2-3 with added honey, flax seeds, walnuts and raisins, which got rave reviews!!!
Salma
It was worth it!
Mini
Salma, I just ordered and recieved my rattan baskets from luckyclover..the round ones had grayish discolorations and some uneven brown spots (like gentled chewed by insects in their natural habitat)....did you find these on your baskets?
I am now wondering if they are safe to use...emailed them but still did not hear back yet.
because i thought about adding them to my website. unfortunately, i found them poorly made and poorly finished, with lots of loose rattan splinters and a very rough surface. i much prefer the European ones.
Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com
I was in Restaurant Depot store nearest me and saw they had those cheap metal woven bread baskets often seen in pizzariea to hold various things at table @ 6 for $10. They would be perfect for 14oz to 24oz loafs forms. just throw in a napkin or more simply a 1/4 baking sheet, et viola! Will way outlast any reed basket.
Karl, If you use a cloth in the basket, you will not get the lines. I gave a generous dusting with a combo of flour and rice flour as suggested by a few people here. I am now very happy with the look.
Sagharbormo, True, the metal baskets would be a good shape and size, but with the napkins you wont get the lines and hence the eye appeal!
rts306, All my baskets had no problems. I wonder if it is worth contacting them for replacements. Good luck.
Salma
Thanks, Salma... I contacted luckyclover again and spoke to Jeff...sent him pictures of my baskets.. He will send replacements.
Thanks Mini, I am a big fan of yours. I try to read every comment from you and learn something.
Salma
rts306, Aren't you lucky to be dealing with luckyclover!!! I am happy for you and you will love the results of your bread. Salma