Below is a list of the things you ideally need to make my recipe, these are my recommendations; some of the things you can substitute or find alternatives in your kitchen, which I’ve noted for you, but this would be my preferred list. It might seem like a lot of things initially, but if you use them week after week as I do, you’ll see that it’s worth the investment.
*Starter, fed and ready to use – see my information pages about starters
*Glass bowl with fitted lid for your starter, I use Weck 744 tulip jars, you can buy them here in the UK and here in the US
*Weighing scales, preferably digital, mine are made by Salter
*Strong white bread flour – not all flours are equal, please read my page about flour for more information and my recommendations
*Filtered or boiled & cooled water or tap water if you know yours is okay
*Salt, any granular salt is good
*Large mixing bowl, mine are Duralex 23cm diameter and 9cm deep (these are exactly what I use and are perfect for knowing if your dough is fully proved). Find them here in the US, or online in the UK.
*Shower cap or clean plastic bag
*Rice flour, this can be easily found in Asian food shops, or you can grind your own uncooked rice to a fine flour
*Banneton, a wood pulp proving basket that gives the dough its shape and concentric lines. I use the 500-750g round brotform banneton for my master recipe and baby master recipe doughs, it works for both. Find it here in the US and here in the UK.
To prepare: just sprinkle some rice flour in and smooth it round the inside.
If you don’t have a banneton, you can line a bowl with a clean, lint free tea towel, make sure you flour it well, and use that to prove the dough.
*Bread lame for scoring the dough
*Oven proof pan with a lid, my personal choice is 26cm diameter round or 30cm oval enamel roasting pans with lids, mine are made by Falcon. I also have 20cm round small pans for smaller loaves, they are not a huge necessity, but they are very cute! Cast iron is not necessary but can be used. Find them here in the UK or here in the US.
*Good quality parchment baking paper (not waxed or greaseproof paper, it will stick to your loaves)
*Oven gloves
*Cooling rack
*A good bread knife – I highly recommend an Appalachian Bow Saw, mine is handmade by an amazing artisan product called The Garlic Tun
Find the jars, bannetons, bowls and pans that I use plus my dried starter and bowl scrapers available from Shana’s Sourdough in the US, or EcoBaker in the UK (use code foodbodfab on the EcoBaker site) and online in other countries.
For sandwich loaves, these are the Pullman pans that I use, sometimes with the lid, sometimes without, as per the recipe.
Contact me for any further recommendations.