The Banneton Story: Do You Need a Banneton Proofing Basket?

Any passionate baker worth his or her salt knows bread proofing is a very important step in every bread baking journey.

Proofing is the part where you allow the yeast in the dough to do its work. This is usually right before baking when you let the dough rise and allow it to take its final shape. But proofing your bread does not have to be so basic.

Do you want to take your bread baking prowess one step further and bake that perfect artisan bread everybody is talking about? Yes, it is possible and you only need one tool.

A banneton.

A what…? You might ask.

A banneton or proofing basket is a simple yet all-important tool in bread proofing. It lends support and shape to the dough to make it look more appealing when you finally take it out of the oven.

These baskets come in different shapes and sizes to fit your needs. The more commonly used shapes are round and oval. Standard sizes are for 500 g, 750 g, and 1 kg dough. But different size capacities are also available.

Bannetons are also made from different materials. The most popular ones are made from cane or wood fibers. These particular proofing baskets leave behind spiral-shaped prints on the bread’s crust and are simply gorgeous to behold. These patterns are usually found on rustic, hand-made loaves.

Cane, wicker, or rattan-made banneton proofing basket work by forming a slightly humid micro-climate between the banneton itself and the dough. This moisture-absorbing climate creates a very thin layer on the dough that is slightly drier than the rest of the dough.

This drier layer also makes it easy to “score” the dough prior to baking, allowing the bread to open up nicely during baking. After the baking process, your bread comes out with a perfect, traditional crust that is to die for.

Before a cane or rattan banneton can work all this magic, it needs to be prepared or “conditioned” if you will (you can check out our blog on how to break in a new banneton).

A thin layer of flour must be applied and worked into the nooks and crannies and kept there for the banneton to work flawlessly. This also helps in moisture absorption and allows the dough to leave the banneton easily when you transfer it to the baking pan. This dusting process is very important to prepare your banneton for use every time.

So go right ahead and get a banneton for yourself and see what magic it does for your bread. Don’t just take my word for it.

The proof is in the basket, literally.

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