Equipped for Sourdough

A banneton, bowl scraper and a razor for scoring.

We are just a couple of days away from our first Sourdough Bakealong. In continuing our discussion of what you need to get going, other than a starter and some flour and salt, you need a couple of other key pieces of equipment to give you the best chance of getting great loaves.

Equipment:

Overwhelmingly, we advocate for using what you have in your kitchen to bake bread.  Its always a more realistic endeavour if you don't have to make a huge upfront investment when starting on a new craft.  Your main equipment is: 

Scales (most bread recipes are done by weight)

Bowl

Wooden Spoon

Jar - for starter

Baking Parchment - for sliding your dough into the oven

Baking tray without a lip or a pizza peel

A razor or sharp knife for scoring your bread

Optional, but great to have:

bread baked in a cast iron pot (also called dutch oven) with a lid helps protect your bread from uneven oven temps and helps get a nice rise before the crust firms up)

Banneton: a lined basket used for rising your bread. If you don't have one, try using a colander or sieve, lined with a tea towel. A normal bowl will work in a pinch, but ideally you need something that can breath so your bread doesn’t stick.

Bowl Scraper: a tool to help with folding your bread and cleaning up tables and bowls

Dutch Oven/Cast Iron Casserole: Keeps the moisture of the bread in to develop an excellent rise before the crust is formed. Also protects from uneven temperatures in the oven. Use an inexpensive one as it may scorch as part of the baking process. I keep an eye out for them in the supermarket sales.  If you don't have one, a stainless steel bowl upside down on a cookie sheet is a good alternative. 

Our online farm shop has starters, recipes and online courses to help you get started with sourdough.