tools

You don’t need to invest a lot in equipment to make good bread, but these are the tools you will see referred to in sourdough recipes, and for good reason—they make the job easier.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven or Combi Cooker Pizza Peel or Thin‑Handled Cutting Board—to

help you transfer your proofed dough to your preheated pot.

Dough Spatula

—this flexible plastic tool makes it easy to scrape dough from bowls.

Banneton

—a breathable proofing basket generally made from cane or wood pulp, often lined with linen. A small colander lined with a linen dish towel makes a workable substitute.

Lame—the

curved razor blade used to score proofed dough. In a pinch you can use a serrated knife or snip your dough with kitchen scissors.

Bench Scraper

— also called a dough knife, it’s very helpful for cutting dough, helping to shape it, and for scraping flour and dough from a countertop.

Digital Instant–Read Thermometer

—all water below body temperature feels cool to the touch so it can be hard to determine the ideal temperature without a good thermometer.

Glass or Clear Plastic Jars/Bowls

make it easier to see how the bubbles are forming on the sides of your starter or dough. — essential for measuring flour and water with accuracy

Digital Scale