Bake bread yourself: Bread bakes optimally in the oven with a proofing basket

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Bake bread yourself: Why delicious dough works better with a proofing basket

In a proofing basket, the bread dough can rise under optimal conditions

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The perfect home-baked bread is crispy on the outside and fluffy and moist inside. Read here why it is important to let the dough rise properly and how a proofing basket can help.

Freshly baked bread from the oven tastes particularly delicious. The right bread dough is crucial. However, it is not only the ingredients that count, but also the manufacturing process of the bread. Bread dough should rest before baking to rise properly. This is where the fermentation basket comes into play. The baskets have several advantages: They ensure softer dough and fluffy bread that stays fresh longer. In addition, with the help of a proofing basket, you can achieve a more even bread shape and a nice structure on the bread surface. The baskets are traditionally made from rattan, which is obtained from rattan palms. Below you will find out what you should consider when using a proofing basket.

What do you need a proofing basket for?

A fermentation basket helps the bread dough rise properly. The material consists mostly of rattan, but sometimes also of silicone or plastic. You can also buy proofing baskets in round, oval, square and triangular shapes. Depending on the material, there will later be different patterns on the bread. A fermentation basket is used for breads that are baked without a baking pan, then –so-called free-moving breads have a larger proportion of crusts.

How to use a proofing basket

You prepare the bread dough of your choice and then place it in a proofing basket dusted with flour to let it rise. The basket supports the bread so it goes up stays in shape and protects the dough from drying out. After the bread dough has rested long enough, you can turn out the dough and put it in the oven on a baking sheet.

Can you also bake in the proofing basket?

No, you can use the fermentation basket not for baking in the oven use.

How do you clean a proofing basket?

Traditional fermentation baskets made of rattan should always be left to dry well after use and then knocked out. If it is very dirty, you can soak the proofing basket in warm water and brush it out with a brush.

These proofing baskets exist

proofing basket are available in different variants. On the one hand you can choose between different shapes, for example oval or square. On the other hand, some proofing baskets have a practical insert in the form of a cotton cloth. It serves to cover the fermenting dough all around. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen towel for this.

This way the bread stays fresh longer

You can extend the shelf life of home-baked bread from the oven if you store it properly. The easiest way to keep bread moist and crispy is to put it in a bread bin. Make sure the bread box has a ventilation hole so that it is not completely airtight and prevents mold growth.

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