How to flour a banneton? | The Fresh Loaf

I have been using plastic brotforms for proofing my loaves but thought it was time to try a traditional linen-lined banneton. I've received a couple of 8" and 10" baskets from the SFBI site. My question is how do you flour the liners? Do you use AP flour? I've seen reference here to using a mix of wheat and rice flours. What does that get you? How heavily do you flour? Do you just sprinkle it on the linen or rub it in more generously?
Any advice, hints, or cautions would be greatly appreciated.

dm, a lot depends on the condition of your dough. A firmer dough will pop out with just a good dusting of ap flour rubbed into the linen. The wetter the dough the more attention your baskets will require.

The 50/50 ap/rice flour almost guarantees no worries. Rub it well into the linen with some to spare, and if the dough is particularly tacky, dust its surface as well.

Thanks for your reply, browndog.
David

Hi browndog,

I used a 50/50 mix of AP and rice flour as recommended. The results were great! The loaves (PR's basic sourdough and his Poilane-type boules) released easily. The dough surfaces were drier than in the past and sprung better with the best bloom ever.
Obviously, there were other variables at play, but I credit the banneton flouring with a positive role. Thanks again!
David

And I'll bet they were pretty to look at as well. Thanks, David, I love good news first thing in the morning.

David, Glad to hear you had success using 50/50 on the banniton. I have discovered that if I lightly dust the top of the boule with the mix, just before flipping it over and placing in the basket, I hardly have to dust the basket at all. After the first few times there is enough rice flour remaining in the basket. I was ending up with way to much flour on the top of the proofed loaf and trying to brush off the top of a proofed loaf with a brush. Just pick up a little mix in your hands and smack them together above the dough and rub the top lightly with your fingers. Works for me.

Eric

Hi, Eric. Interesting suggestion. The first time I used the banneton, I did flour them way too heavily. While I liked the appearance of the resulting, floury loaves, the excess flour on the crust doesn't do much for the mouth feel. :-( At this point, I don't think I'm going to have to flour the boules or the bannetons for a few weeks. There is more than enough flour left on the liners! I clearly over-estimated how much flour was needed to prevent sticking. BTW, please excuse the lack of paragraph breaks. I put them in, but they don't "stick." Maybe they need more flour? (Or a html code?) It's like the Line Feeds are being stripped. Suggestions on this would also be gratefully received.
David

When using a cane banneton do you flour the Banneton and then put the dough in it, or is linen or some kind of cloth needed?

Thanks - Joel

I believe is what you are referring to. Flour your brotform with rice flour, rubbing it into the grooves. You could line it with linen, but that would defeat the purpose of the pattern on the bread.

If you plan on refrigerating your loaves in the bannetons, it helps to increase the proportion of rice flour in the rice/wheat flour mix. Refrigerated loaves can be more sticky.

SOL

I have some new cane brotforms, just like the ones KAF sells.

Two questions, when they're brand new should I do anything to "season" them before use, such as oil or something like BakKlene from the pastry shop, to make them more non-stick?

Second, is there a rough rule of thumb for maximum hydration in a bread to go into the brotform.

you do not have to season brotforms. Just rub the rice flour or AP/rice mix into the grooves before you bake. I don't know as there is a rule of thumb about maximum hydration in a brotform. I have put some fairly slack dough and it has stuck a bit, but I gently tickled it out. I probably would stay away from high hydration in a brotform until you feel confident with your shaping and surface tension. I'm not there yet. Good luck!