January 2, 2011 - 10:33am
Need alternatives for proofing baskets
I'm making Northwest Sourdough's basic white today and noticed that it says to shape in a banneton, lined basket, couche or whatever I plan to use to hold the shape during proofing... I don't have any shaping baskets, an Easter basket is about all I have...
Would a bowl with a heavily floured tea towel work for a boule? What could I use for baguettes and batards?
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Will do in a pinch. Use rice flour if you have it.
As to the baguettes and bâtards, if you plan on continuing baking, do invest eight bucks and buy a yard of linen from SFBI.
You won't regret it. Speaking from experience, the linen makes a vast difference.
Having the correct tool to do a job is important. Think of the difference between using a butter knife as a screwdriver versus the real thing.
Do you recommend the proofing baskets from there too? If so, which?
I have the round wicker in both 1.5 and 2 pound size and the oval wicker in 1.5. I think the 1.5s are big enough for most people. Shape is a personal preference more than a magic answer. I use the wicker with flour/rice flour and don't use linen often but SFBI is a good source if you want linen.
I also have plastic bannetons and I don't like them as much.
Good luck!
Jay
Hi Butterfly,
I think the size you choose will depend on how large a boule you bake. I've not purchased their proofing baskets, but think several people on TFL have and the feedback has been good, as I recall.
I had gotten my wicker baskets from Fantes before I heard about the SFBI offerings. But I did buy my linen from SFBI and like it so much, I purchased two linen liners for my own baskets. The material is fabulous - and forgiving, as the second time I used the basket liners, I forgot to flour them. After an overnight retard, the dough still released easily.
floured cloth draped colanders, sieves, or have tied up the cloth and let it hang from a cupboard handle. I also tried a clean wooden bucket once (no twice... not bad.) Easter basket will work if it's plastic. Heck a shrimp boat will work! (Do they still make plastic basket shrimp boats?) A clean terra cotta pot would work too! A wire fruit bowl with cloth might also work. I once used a metal sieve without cloth -- you don't want to go there. You can also take one towel and twist it into a ring and set it inside a larger bowl and then drape it with a floured cloth. The idea is to get a deep shape as opposed to a spread out shape; support the sides so the rise goes up and the sides get some "memory" from drying just a wee bit.
Whatever you put it in, it should flip out easily. If it has enough body, slash and bake. If it seems too wobbly, don't slash but bake. :)
Are great and very reasonably priced. Their customer service is excellent.
If you have a local restaurant supply store or Smart and Final, you may be able to find round wicker baskets with cloth liners.
Great article at Wild Yeast, click: My (Non-)Bannetons,
or cut and paste:
http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/01/08/my-non-bannetons/
Also more discussion here at The Fresh Loaf: proving baskets,
or cut and paste:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1081/proving-baskets
Sam
the link to Wild Yeast .. non bannetons is no longer available
the link provided, that one works.
Fixed: My (Non-)Bannetons
Go to the hardware store and pick up a painters drop cloth. Wash it and dry it, then cut it into cloths for your proofing baskets and a couch for your baguettes and batards. Plenty strong and sturdy and CHEAP. Just use a serger on the edges for unraveling.
Bannetons. Go to the dollar store and buy several colanders and line them with the cloths you just made above. You're set.
Mini Oven,
Briliant suggestion. I will try this. I have great bowls, wooden affairs which are old and are indeed bread bowls. They are shallow and casue a s p r e a d of the dough. This jsut might solve my dilema. Thanks,
whosinthekitchen:Lisa