Here’s Everything You Need to Take Your Sourdough Baking to the Next Level
Updated: Feb. 23, 2021If you're as obsessed with sourdough bread as we are, then you need these items to kick your bread-baking game up a notch.
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Lame for Artisan-Style Tops
Love those sleek designs you’ve been seeing on sourdough loaves? Create your own with a tool specifically designed for bread, like this lame ($14).
Why it made our list: This tool is made for people who aren’t used to wielding tools while baking, so it’s a great way to design for the first time and work your way up to more complicated cutting.
Sourdough Crock for Storage
If you’ve made your own sourdough starter, you know you don’t need the whole thing for one loaf. You’ll have leftovers, and it’s important to store your excess starter properly if you want to use it again. Airtight crocks ($25) are ideal for keeping those starters fresh when not in use.
Why it made our list: This crock is made from ceramic with a bamboo lid that provides an airtight seal—it’s sleek and it’s functional, which makes it perfect for our kitchen.
Dutch Oven for the Perfect Bake
Sourdough bread needs high heat and high walls to properly bake—and no tool delivers both quite as well as a Dutch oven ($350).
Why it made our list: Le Creuset makes one of our Test Kitchen’s favorite Dutch ovens. It’s more expensive than other ones out there, but it’s worth it.
High-Quality Loaf Pan
If you prefer your bread to look more like a sandwich loaf, you’ll want to pick up a bread loaf pan ($36). This is what we use in our easy sourdough bread recipe, which doesn’t disappoint.
Why it made our list: This pan features 90-degree angles that help shape the perfect loaf.
Kitchen Scale for Precision Baking
Seasoned bakers know the value of a kitchen scale ($14). Measuring by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume, especially when it comes to baking. Use a kitchen scale to ensure your sourdough bread is precisely on par with its recipe.
Why it made our list: This scale has a low price tag and high ratings from Amazon. The measurements are exact and the settings are easy to manage.
Bread Stencils
Once you’ve mastered working your lame, it’s time to start working with more intricate designs. Bread stencils ($18) provide a premade piece of art you can trace on your loaf, leading to Insta-ready results. And if using the lame is too complicated, you can use these stencils with flour on the final product.
Why it made our list: These stencils come with a variety of designs to choose from. Animal shapes are easier to trace with a lame, but words provide a good challenge for seasoned decorators.
Proofing Basket
Proofing baskets ($22) serve two purposes for your sourdough loaf: They allow your bread to rise while proofing, and they provide a basic design for the top of your loaf. Simply cut a few lines with your lame on top of the proof design and you’ve got a stunning loaf on your hands.
Why it made our list: This basket comes with a liner for loaves you want to bake normally, but the rattan pattern is what draws us to its design.
Bread Box
Vintage-inspired bread boxes ($80) make for gorgeous kitchen decor. When it comes to your sourdough loaf, bread boxes also serve as wonderful storage options. For optimal storage, you’ll still want to wrap leftover bread in plastic wrap, then move it to your bread box.
Why it made our list: This bread box is made by hand, which makes the process of storing bread both chic and fun.
