How to use a proving basket

A proving basket supports shaped dough during its final rise. It is often called a banneton or brotform. It gives the dough a place to rest before baking; the basket itself does not go in the oven.

Round or oval?

A round basket suits a round loaf, often called a boule. An oval basket is useful for a longer loaf. Choose the shape that fits the bread you want to make and the baking vessel or tray you use.

Round Rise is our 23 cm round proving basket with a liner. Long Rise is the oval option, also supplied with a liner. Check the product measurements against your recipe rather than assuming that every loaf will fit.

Prepare the surface

Dust the surface that will touch the dough, including the liner when you use it. King Arthur Baking recommends a light, thorough layer of flour and identifies rice flour or semolina as useful choices. Its proving basket guide also explains why careful shaping helps prevent sticking.

Follow your recipe for shaping and final proving. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto the baking surface specified by the recipe. Remove the basket and liner before baking.

Let it dry

Brush out loose flour after use and leave the basket and liner to dry fully before storage. Avoid putting a damp basket straight into a closed cupboard.

A basket supports one stage of bread making. It does not replace learning the dough. Our bread tools guide helps you choose the other pieces by the bread you plan to bake.

Calculate the dough before choosing the basket

Include water, starter and salt as well as flour. A batch with 500 g flour, 350 g water, 100 g starter and 10 g salt is 960 g of dough, or about 480 g per loaf if divided equally into two. The dough-weight calculator handles those sums. Compare the result with the basket maker's rating; our listed basket dimensions are not a verified gram capacity.

One stage in the sourdough method

The basket comes after the recipe's mixing, bulk fermentation and shaping stages. Put the shaped dough into the prepared basket for its final rise. Follow the recipe's timing and readiness checks rather than assuming the basket determines the proving time. Once turned out, the dough is scored and baked as directed; the basket and liner remain outside the oven.

If the loaf sticks

Check which surface touched the dough and whether it was properly floured. Review the recipe's shaping and proving guidance too. Record what happened so the next attempt changes one thing, rather than buying a different basket before you have identified the problem.

Shape and storage

Our round versus oval guide helps match the basket to the baking vessel. The size guide explains dough weight. Let the basket dry fully after use and store it where it will stay dry. If it develops visible mould or remains musty, stop using it and seek the maker's advice rather than covering the problem with flour.