BakeryBits FAQ

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1. Which baskets would suit an average family?
2. How much flour/dough does a banneton hold?
3. Starters and Ferments

How much flour/dough does a banneton hold?

The weight given with a banneton is the weight of the dough that the banneton will hold - not the flour. Always remember that some doughs will rise more than others so some may not completely fill the banneton that they are in - a rye flour-based loaf for example will rise much less than a dough made with only white wheat flour. So, to work out the number and sizes of bannetons needed for a recipe, simply add together the weight of all the ingredients.

Which baskets would suit an average family?

Bakers and supermarkets typically sell bread that is 400g and 800g in weight (roughly 1lb and 2lb, a small and large, family loaf). The most popular bannetons are the 500g cane round and the 1kg cane round. They will let you produce loaves of size typically used by families. These two bannetons do not need to be lined but should be well dusted with rye flour to prevent your dough from sticking.

Starters & Ferments

BakeryBits offers two types of starter, click on the type you are interested in to see details:

• Sekowa Special Baking Ferment. A honey-based yeast starter (not sourdough)
• Goldrush San Francisco sourdough starter

Goldrush San Francisco Starter

How long does the Goldrush San Francisco starter last?

The sachet of Goldrush starter will, if looked after, last forever and you will not need to buy any more. See "How to look after a starter"  below.

How to look after a starter

The key thing to remember is that starters are a culture of yeast and bacteria that love the sugars in flour and munch it, expelling carbon dioxide gas that makes the dough rise. Like anything alive, it needs food and the right conditions to survive.

Once the Goldrush starter is reconstituted (water added), the culture will become active again. It can be kept in a jar, such as a Kilner jar in the fridge without problems for several weeks, but before it is to be used to make bread, it need to be "livened up". That is, it needs a feed. Recipes that you use will need a quantity of starter too:  the small quantity in the fridge won't be enough.

There are several techniques to keep the starter replenished, but the simplest is to keep a small quantity (about 200g)  in the fridge then, a couple of days before you are to bake, add flour and water in proportions 5:4, so, for example, 500g flour to 400g water, and mix, leaving at room temperature. This will give 900g starter and leave you with a freshened 200g to go back into the fridge for next time. The starter will be very active with lots of bubbles.

It is possible to get much more complicated if preferred:  see our Get Started page for links to experts and enthusiasts.

Sekowa Spezial Baking Ferment

Sekowa Spezial backferment is a dry granular product, very popular in Germany and Denmark that can be used in place of active dried yeast, or to make up a starter (see our sample recipes).

BakeryBits 2009