SOURDOUGH BREAD: INGREDIENTS & TOOLS
You probably already have all the tools in your kitchen needed to make a sourdough starter from scratch. Start with what you have on hand. If you find yourself becoming a sourdough aficionado, we have a few additional options to help you hone your technique.
The Essentials
Flour
Top quality flour is essential for great sourdough. We use our Organic Unbleached White All Purpose for our traditional sourdough and our Gluten Free Millet Flour and Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for gluten free sourdough.
Water
We recommend using filtered water for the best results. Tap water with few chemicals is fine. Highly chlorinated or sulfuric water will affect and possibly inhibit healthy yeast and bacteria growth.
Glass Jar or Ceramic Crock
Grow or maintain your sourdough in a clean glass, plastic or ceramic jar. We prefer a clear glass container with a wide mouth for ease of adding ingredients and stirring.
Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula
A sturdy spoon or spatula is essential for mixing your starter. Pick something that is both easy to clean and the proper length for your jar.
Lid or Covering
Sourdough starter needs a breathable barrier like a clean tea towel, cheesecloth, or paper coffee filter. Secure the covering with a rubber band to keep out pests. A mason jar lid can also be used but take care not to tighten the lid.
Optional, but Helpful
Digital Scale
The digital scale is an indispensable kitchen tool. While we have provided volume and weight measurements for all of our sourdough recipes, precision can be key in certain recipes. Using a digital scale will also cut down on dirty dishes as you can simply weigh and measure ingredients directly into the work bowl.
Lame
A lame is a double sided blade attached to a handle used for scoring dough right before it is baked. Scoring the dough not only provides a beautiful pattern, but allows for expansion of the bread without bursting. If you do not have a lame, you can also score the dough using a thin sharp knife.
Bench scraper
A bench scraper, also known as a dough cutter or pastry scraper, is a wonderful tool for cutting sticky dough, clearing a work surface, and scraping up bits of dough and flour.
Dutch oven or Cast Iron with Lid
A dutch oven is a large cooking vessel typically made from enameled cast iron. It can withstand high temperatures for prolonged periods and is known for heat retention. A tight fitting lid will help create steam, giving a sourdough loaf its signature crust.
Banneton (proofing basket)
A banneton is a basket that helps dough maintain its shape while rising. High hydration bread dough, like sourdough, has a difficult time maintaining its shape during a long rise. The banneton basket provides the structure for the dough as it proofs.
Digital Instant-Read Thermometer
Use a digital instant-read thermometer to determine the interior temperature of baked bread. Traditional Sourdough and Gluten Free Sourdough are both fully baked at 210°F.
