Hello,
1. i have bought a 8" banneton proofing basket, floured it really well, and followed all the instructions on how to create a bread with a nice pattern with a white bread recipe, but after letting the bread sit for 30 minutes the bread slide flat when I took it out of the banneton.
2. Can you share a recipe that is working for you? maybe my recipe is wrong.
Please help.
Thanks!
Eli
What's your recipe and method? How did you prepare your banneton for proofing? And how did you shape the loaf?
I am very new to this, and this is my first banneton so I am doing it wrong.
Can you guide me step by step on what I should do?
So for a new banneton id wash it with warm water and allow it to dry. Then i'd flour it very well with some bread flour. For a very wet dough i'd mix it with some rice flour. The first time you use it you may have to flour it more liberally and use your hand or shake it to disperse the flour and make it stick. Once it is used more then it'll be easier as it will already be well floured.
For my doughs I shape roughly into a round and bench rest. This is a preshape. I'll allow the dough to relax then shape again into a boule and place into the banneton. If you do seam side up then the seam will turn out on the bottom in which case you'll want to score the dough before baking. If you place your dough into the banneton seam side down then the seam will be a natural scoring and you won't have to score it before baking.
Shake off excess flour before storing. come the next time sprinkle more on before using.
Look up on youtube videos for how to prime your banneton or break-in a new banneton. There are plenty on there. Look up videos on baking bread using a banneton and you'll get a good visual on how they're used.
From what you say - it just slides out - doesn't sound wrong. Most people have the trouble of the dough sticking. Just sliding out doesn't sound like a problem to me. Just the opposite.
Hi Eli,
I am fairly new to this hobby as well. But even from my minimal practical experience (I've baked 2 loaves), and have done an in-depth research, would like to share my opinion with you.
First, I agree with all the comments by Lechem...all these are very helpful :-)
i just bought a banneton and waiting for it to be delivered for my next bake. What I used with my first 2 loaves is a linen lined colander. It's not perfect but for my beginning served me ok. With that being said, banneton or any other proofing basket won't creat a shape for you, but only help you hold the shape you have created with the special shaping techniques. These need time and practice to improve. Bannetons are the best basket for it due to the material that its made of and its shape, but it won't creat the shape for you. There are a lot of videos on shaping boules and other shaped loaves. You can pick the technique that you feel you can follow most comfortably. And just bake away to practice doing it again and again :-)
good luck and happy baking!
From what you say ("Bread slides flat") I'd say you should try a dough that is not so wet, so the proofed loaf holds it shape. Not knowing what recipe you are using makes it a bit difficult to offer advice, as we don't know whether something is wrong with the dough, the timing, the technique or something else!
Generally, if you're fairly new at this, you should try a recipe with about 65% hydration and all wheat flour (though you can add a little rye and whole grain flours), with commercial yeast to start, until you get to know how dough feels when it's ready to shape and ready to bake.