Sourdough Baking
Tools and SuppliesFlours
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King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
This top-quality flour, with its medium protein level, is the best choice for both feeding your starter and baking with it.
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Pumpernickel (Whole Rye) Flour
Like whole wheat flour, pumpernickel offers wild yeast a supportive atmosphere for growth as you build your starter.
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King Arthur Premium Whole Wheat Flour
A great whole-grain flour for the initial build of your homemade starter; and for baking whole-grain sourdough breads.
Must haves
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Baker's bench knife
Nothing beats this tool for dividing yeast dough into loaves or rolls; or even scraping dried dough off your counter!
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Bowl Scraper
Perfect for scraping sticky starter out of its crock, or dough out of a bowl (or off your kneading surface).
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Scale
For best, most consistent results in sourdough baking, weigh your ingredients: flour and water for feeding, all ingredients for baking.
Should haves
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Baking Stone
A thoroughly heated baking stone ensures the best rise and crispiest crust for your sourdough bread and pizza.
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Thermometer
Is your rising starter warm enough? And did you know dough temperature affects bread's rise and texture? You NEED a thermometer!
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Parchment Paper
Use it for everything from lining your baking pans to drying your excess starter on it prior to disposal.
Nice to haves
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Brotform
Hold, shape, and mark your rising sourdough loaf in this classic rising basket. Turn out of the basket onto a pan or stone to bake.
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Couche
Professional bakers use this canvas cloth to support their rising baguettes. Canvas helps ensure a crisp/crackly crust, too.
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Lame
Slashing artisan loaves with a lame prior to baking ensures they'll rise evenly. Plus those slashes look gorgeous!
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Dutch oven
Looking for that signature shiny, blistered top crust on your sourdough loaves? Dutch ovens deliver!
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Bread knife
Don't ruin your perfect sourdough loaf with an uneven, hacked slicing job. A good serrated knife is your key to success.
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Sourdough crock
With its loose lid (for air circulation) and small footprint, this storage crock is ideal for either counter or fridge starter storage.
Pantry items
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Measuring Beaker
If you're not measuring your sourdough ingredients with a scale, this all-purpose beaker is your measuring tool of choice.
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Bowl
Feed your starter. Mix your dough. Let it rise. No tool is more key to bread-baking than a good mixing bowl.
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Measuring Spoons
Don't rely on cheap measuring spoons for the precise balance of salt and yeast in your sourdough bread! Use these instead.
FAQ
Did I kill my starter? How do I get more sour flavor? Answers to your critical sourdough questions.
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Glossary
Learn how to talk like a baker with this guide to foreign words and sourdough jargon.
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