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Bread Baking Essentials
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items I’ve spent a lot of time baking bread, and over time I’ve found that having the right tools makes the whole process much easier. From mixing and shaping the dough to proofing, scoring, baking, and cooling, these are some of the essentials I like havi...
I always reach for a scale when I’m making bread. Flour can vary quite a bit when measured by volume, and even a small difference can change how the dough feels.
For bread, I like being able to weigh everything directly into the mixing bowl and use ...
Digital and Mechanical Food Scales for Kitchen
A good mixing bowl doesn’t need to be fancy, but I like having one that gives the dough plenty of room. Bread dough can look perfectly manageable at the beginning and somehow end up taking over the whole bowl later.
I usually prefer a bowl with stra...
Mixing Bowls
This is one of the tools I use constantly when making bread. It makes it much easier to get sticky dough off the counter without adding a lot of extra flour.
I also use it for dividing dough and moving shaped pieces around. It’s such a simple tool, ...
Shop Durable Bench Scrapers for Home Kitchens
A bread lame is one of those tools that becomes important once you start making artisan-style loaves. I like having a proper blade for scoring because it gives me much more control over the cut.
The scoring isn’t just about making the bread look nic...
Bread Lame Tools for Artisan Home Baking
A Dutch oven is probably one of my favorite pieces of equipment for baking crusty bread at home. The enclosed space holds in steam during the first part of the bake, which helps the loaf expand and develop that beautiful crust.
I especially like usi...
Shop Dutch Ovens
I really like using a banneton when I’m making a rustic loaf. It gives the dough somewhere to hold its shape during the final proof instead of spreading out across a flat surface.
The little flour patterns left on the dough are also part of the char...
Banneton Baskets for Bread Proofing
A linen cloth is especially handy when working with baguettes and other dough that needs support during proofing. It helps separate the dough pieces while still allowing the surface to breathe.
I like having one around when I’m making several loaves...
Bread Proofing Cloths for Baking Dough
I didn’t appreciate a bread sling until I had to transfer a fully proofed loaf into a hot Dutch oven without it. Trying to do that with parchment while keeping the shape intact can get surprisingly awkward.
A good sling makes the transfer much easie...
Bread Sling for Dutch Oven Non-Stick Mats
I like having a thermometer around when I’m baking bread because sometimes the outside looks completely done while the inside still needs more time.
It’s also useful earlier in the process for checking the temperature of the water or dough. Bread is...
Instant Read Thermometers for Quick Cooking
Bread needs a little breathing room after it comes out of the oven. I like putting fresh loaves straight onto a cooling rack so air can circulate underneath instead of letting the bottom sit against a hot tray or countertop.
It’s especially importan...
Cooling Racks for Baking and Pastry Tools
There’s something slightly painful about spending hours making a loaf and then letting it go stale because it wasn’t stored properly.
I like using a dedicated bread bag once the loaf has completely cooled. It keeps homemade bread protected without t...
Bread Bags for Food Storage and Packaging
If you’re getting into sourdough, having a dedicated jar for the starter makes the whole process a little easier to keep track of.
I like a container with straight sides because it makes it much easier to see how much the starter has risen. Marking ...
Sourdough Starter Jars for Home Baking
I really like a dough whisk for mixing bread because it handles sticky dough much better than a regular spoon. The open shape lets the flour and water come together without everything getting stuck around the utensil.
It’s especially handy when maki...
Dough Whisk for Baking and Mixing
A good serrated bread knife makes a bigger difference than I expected. Fresh bread can be surprisingly easy to squash if you try cutting through it with a regular knife.
I like a long blade with teeth that can move through the crust without requirin...
Bread Knives in Kitchen Knives Knife Block Sets and Cutlery
A baking stone or steel is something I’d look at if I wanted to get more serious about baking bread without buying a professional oven.
The idea is simple: it gives the dough a very hot surface to bake against, which can help with oven spring and cr...
Baking Stone Products for Even Heat Baking