Tips for a new brotform user

and bake some bread! It really is that easy. congrats.

works well to dust them, tipping the forms to get flour in everywhere.  I would suggest that for the first dusting, put about half a cup of flour into them and roll them around to get the undersides of the curves and fill in the gaps between the cane.  Gently tap out most of the excess and then give another more even dusting of flour.  You don't want to see any naked cane where the dough will land.  

Folks dust with various flours, or mixtures.  I've dust mostly with rye flour, but have used corn, nut, starch, rice flour, AP, bread crumbs,  chopped nuts or seeds, potato flakes, wheat bran, rolled oats, oat flour  ... just to name a few.  A popular mixture is 3/4 AP with 1/4 rice flour, also known as teflon flour on site because nothing will stick to the dough once it's used.  Don't have to be particular, Just don't be shy about dusting the brotform.  After baking, the cooled loaf can be taken outside or held over the sink and the flour can be brushed off if desired.  Same with the brotform.  Give the form a few good raps upside down and later when it's dry.

After using the brotform, let it dry thoroughly for a day or two open (also underneath) before banging out any sticking flour.  Bag or stack only when very dry.   A cloth or paper bag is useful.  I use a large zipper plastic bag pressing out the air.  Make sure the brotform is very dry and cane has shrunk back to it's original condition,  so now is the time to look at the gaps and spaces between the cane before you use it.  After using, notice how the gaps have closed up tightly from absorbing moisture from the dough.  If baking often, just keep it out on a rack or open shelf or hung on the wall to dry out between uses.  Using and taking care of a brotform is easier than it reads.  

Now, make some bread!

Zacho,  if you have a mister,  I would mist them lightly with water before you dust them with flour, it helps the flour stick to the banneton for the first application.  When completely dry, give them another dusting before you use them, and shake out the excess. As Mini Oven suggests, I use a mixture, rice flour and regular wheat flour, for dusting. 

go to a cheap $1-like store and purchase a stiff brush to clean the flour out after each use. I would never mist my brotform, since it could lead to mold unless dried sufficiently. Never had a problem with flour sticking