Proofing dough in a mixing bowl works until the dough spreads sideways instead of holding its shape, then sticks to the bowl anyway because the sides are smooth. A banneton, the traditional woven proofing basket bakers have used for centuries, solves both problems by doing the opposite: rough, breathable rattan that wicks moisture off the dough’s surface, with ridges that leave a pattern on the crust once it’s baked.
The SnailDigit Sourdough Banneton Set comes as a pair of 9-inch round baskets, each holding up to 1.5 pounds of dough at just over 3 inches deep. They’re made from natural Indonesian rattan with no dye or chemical treatment, which matters more than it sounds since this is a surface your dough sits directly against for hours.
The routine is simple once you’ve done it a couple of times: dust the basket well with flour, place the shaped dough in seam side up, cover it, and let it proof. When it’s ready, you tip it out onto your baking surface and the seam ends up on the bottom, which is exactly what you want for an even rise and a crust that doesn’t split in the wrong place.
Getting two baskets in one set is more useful than it first seems. Sourdough baking tends to happen in batches, since a starter that’s been fed and is active doesn’t want to wait around for you to wash and dry a single basket between loaves.
They need to be kept dry between uses rather than washed with soap and water the way you would a normal bowl. Brush out the excess flour, let any residue dry out fully, then store it somewhere it can breathe. Treated that way, rattan bannetons last for years of regular baking.
