What a Proofing Basket Actually Does for Your Bread
The first time I saw one in a shop, I assumed it was a fruit bowl. A slightly odd one, sure. It's a ring-patterned cane basket that holds shaped dough while it does its final rise, and once I started using proofing baskets , my loaves stopped looking like they'd given up. Think about what happens when you shape a wet dough and set it on the counter. Nothing holds it. The gas inside pushes in every direction, and gravity wins, so you get a wide, low disc. Put the same dough in a basket and the sides stop it from spreading, so the only way left to go is up. You get a taller loaf, better oven spring, and a rounder crumb. It matters most with sourdough and anything above roughly 75% hydration. That kind of dough can't hold itself up. The basket does it for you. Cane, pulp, or plastic Cane (rattan) is the classic. It leaves those spiral rings on the crust, and yes, they photograph well. Wood pulp baskets are cheaper and smoother, so the crust comes out plain. Both work. I've...