Bread Baking Tools To Get Started

I am a huge fan of sourdough and that is what we predominantly bake in this household. This guide is designed for those who already have a sourdough starter but don’t fret if you don’t! There are plenty of places to order some dehydrated starter and you can activate it within a week’s span. And we would love for you to follow along bread baking with us in January, but you can utilize these recipes all year long! So there is no rush.

Remember, progress not perfection.

Tools Needed For Bread Baking

The absolute necessities:

• Dough Scraper
• Tea Towels 
• Digital kitchen scale
• Parchment Paper
• Dutch Oven
• Mixing Bowl
• I’d also recommend painters tape and a sharpie for easily labeling your jars

Really nice to have, but not required:

• Bread Scoring Lame (Razor blade) — You can use a sharp knife instead
• Bakers whisk
• Mason jars — These and a plastic lid will make your life easier 
• Plastic lids for mason jars 
• Round Banneton Baskets with Covers — You can use a mixing bowl and a tea towel
• Wooden Sourdough Spatula (Elongated and narrow, best for fitting into jars) 
• Bread Knife — Excellent for those large sourdough slices

Common ingredients required in most recipes

• Unbleached (organic if possible) All Purpose Flour for feeding your starter
• Unbleached (organic if possible) Bread Flour
• Himalayan Sea Salt
• Organic, Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Filtered Water

References and resources

• Azure standard (online bulk purchase of organic unbleached bread flour, sweeteners etc.)
• Alexandra Cooks (best online sourdough reference and pizza dough recipe)
• Emilie Raffa’s book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple (where several recipes were adapted from, she is incredible!)

Although the tools look like a lot, you can collect them overtime and most are not very expensive. Before I had banneton baskets I used a mixing bowl. Before my wooden spatulas I used a fork. Use what you have and buy the absolute necessities like a digital scale (you can’t bake bread without one) and I recommend investing in a Dutch oven. If that is not feasible right now an enamel turkey roasting pan will do and they are available at Walmart for $17. 

I can’t wait to get started! And please feel free to email me any questions you have.

Lauren