If you are new to the world of sourdough bread baking, you might be asking yourself, "what equipment and tools do I need to bake sourdough bread?"
The good news is that you don't need to spend your savings on kitchen supplies in order to bake sourdough bread.
Here's a list of essential sourdough bread baking tools needed for the easiest and best results!
Kitchen Scale: The best method for measuring ingredients for sourdough recipes is to weigh them with a kitchen scale. Because measuring cups and spoons are not accurate enough, most sourdough recipes provide measurements for flour and water in grams. Invest in a scale for the best results! They are super cheap and so worth it.
Dutch Oven: A dutch oven with a lid is used to bake sourdough bread because it mimics a commercial steam oven. During the first several minutes of baking, steam is released from the dough and trapped inside the dutch oven which gives the dough a better oven spring.
Glass Containers: your sourdough starter can be stored in a variety of different containers-they can be made of glass, plastic, or ceramic containers, just to name a few. I prefer glass. Glass containers allow you to see the activity of the starter after it's been fed. Some of my favorites are:
You'll want one with a lid that can be used to cover the starter while it rests.
Bread Lame: a bread lame is a stick-shaped tool that holds a razor on one end that is used to score or slash the dough before it bakes. A very sharp knife can also be used to score the dough. Because dough will expand at its weakest point as it bakes, it is slashed to control the spot of the expansion.
Bowls: you'll want a few large, wide (I prefer glass) bowls for mixing your dough.
Banneton (proofing basket): banneton is a proofing bowl made from organic materials and is anywhere from 8-10" in diameter at the opening. After the dough has had its final shape, it is placed in a proofing bowl for the second rise.
There are also a few non-essential tools that make the process simpler:
Bowl Scraper: helps remove the dough from your bowl after proofing. It's not necessary, but the bowl scraper simplifies the process and also helps prevent wasted dough.
Bread Knife: The crust of sourdough is thick and can be hard to cut. Invest in a bread knife or use an electric knife to cut sourdough bread.
Bread towels: helpful to cover your dough as it proofs.
Long Silicone Gloves: Sourdough baking requires very hot oven temperatures. Invest in a set of long silicone gloves to protect not only your hands but your forearms as well.
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If neither of those interest you, sign up for one of my Basic Sourdough Classes! The classes are currently held in person in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. The September Class is SOLD OUT, but I'm offering two classes in October. Click here for more info.
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