I didn’t use a sourdough banneton for many years, because it was just one more thing to store in my kitchen, and I almost always made same-day sourdough. I made a cotton rope bowl one day because I had more dough than I could bake in the time I had, and needed to let it proof in the fridge. That led me to finally ask the question, what is a sourdough proofing basket, also called a banneton, really for? Is it just to get the lines on the outside of the dough? Was there another purpose? I found out and I still make same-day sourdough, most of the time, but when I branch out and try to master another method, I often need this simple tool, a sourdough proofing basket.
There are a couple reasons for using a banneton proofing basket for your sourdough, and contrary to popular belief, it’s more than just creating a texture on the crust. The primary purpose is to give some support to the dough as it rises, so it doesn’t just relax into a flat blob of dough, because as gluten relaxes, so does the shape of the dough ball. Since real sourdough (without the aid of commercial yeast) takes time to develop. If you give it a longer, slower proof, you can enhance the digestibility and flavor of the finished loaf. When I wanted a slower proof in the fridge, I would use a towel in a bowl, which absolutely provides the structure, but doesn’t allow air flow. Read on!
The banneton, or proofing basket, also provides air flow, which allows a skin to dry on the dough, providing structure to contain the wetter inside dough, once you bake it. It also helps provide a better “canvas” if you get into fancy scoring. You’ll be more likely to get that bubbly, crackly exterior on your baked loaves and better air pockets overall, if you have a longer proof in the fridge, and allow the skin of the dough to dry. None of these things were ever my goals for years with sourdough. I just wanted a bread that had few ingredients and was easier to digest. But, I will admit, it is fun to experiment and try to duplicate Pinterest worthy loaves.
I didn’t use a banneton or even pretend to, for many years. I bought a standard cane banneton from Amazon and it sat on my shelf. Almost all of my sourdough loaves for years, were same-day sourdough. I’d start it in the morning, use 1 to 1 1/2 cups starter, so I could be baking the bread by supper time. It worked for years and, surprise, it still works! I would shape the dough 45 minutes before baking, as the dutch oven heated up. And while it did relax on the parchment, if the gluten was developed well, the oven spring would always surprise me. The relaxed boule would rise to the occasion with a little steam in the dutch oven. I know sourdough isn’t magic, but it just always feels magical to me.
When I read that the banneton was to allow air flow, make a dried skin on the dough, I was so confused, because I did just the opposite. I kept the dough covered with plastic, so it wouldn’t dry out, just like I would have done with a regular yeasted loaf of bread.
Which just goes to show you, there are lots of ways to handle sourdough. You can make rustic sourdough or master the art of scoring. What do you want to do with sourdough? It’s a fun adventure that doesn’t cost much even if you have a failed loaf. Enjoy the journey of sourdough!
Until next time,
Anne @ Prairie Woman Arts
