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What size proofing basket should I use?
For artisan style breads, most people do the bulk fermentation (first rise) of their dough in a bowl that is big enough for mixing and stretching and folding, and the final proof in a proofing basket, also called a banneton. This is a container that’s only a little larger than the shaped dough. It can be lined with fabric or unlined, and it’s floured or sprinkled with bran flakes to prevent sticking.
Proofing baskets allow the dough to expand during the second rise and be supported in the shape of the eventual loaf of bread. To get the dough out of the basket and into your baking vessel, you will invert the basket onto a piece of parchment paper, onto your floured palm, or directly into your hot baking vessel.
The size proofing basket you get depends how how large of a bread recipe you are making. Here are some guidelines:
Small proofing baskets / bannetons
Standard proofing baskets / bannetons
Keep in mind that whether the dough is made of refined flour or whole grain flour will impact how much it expands in the basket, and if you’ve arrived at the dough weight with additions like nuts and raisins or actual dough — so the ranges above are approximations.
Here are some videos of dough and Breadtopia’s standard size proofing baskets.
How to Shape Dough
How to Score Dough
The recipe for the dough in these videos is here if you’d like to see the ingredient amounts.
What size proofing basket should I use?