Use and Care of Wood Pulp Bannetons
Bulka brotforms are made in Germany from compressed wood pulp. They are designed to hold bread dough while it is proofing during its final rise before being baked. They aren’t meant to be put in a baking oven.
What is wood pulp?
The wood pulp we use is a natural product made from fresh spruce wood, which is free of any chemical additives and is produced in a purely physical way. Ecologically, this material is better than cane. Spruce is locally available and renewable.
The fresh tree trunks, which come from sustainable forestry, are pressed against rotating stone rollers while being supplied with water. The wood structure is broken up and a fiber material is created from molecules of cellulose attached to one another. All other wood components, such as lignin, which is a natural wood adhesive, are retained.
You may recognize this by the light yellow-brown discoloration of the shape, as lignin is responsible for the yellowing caused by heat during drying or by sunlight. This yellowing is therefore not a defect but evidence of the natural state of the wood pulp used.
Wood pulp bannetons are strong and durable. With the right use and care, they will last a lifetime.
How to Use:
To start using your Bulka basket, gently sweep the inside of the basket with a clean, soft brush or cloth to clean off any wood pulp particles or dust. When your bread dough is ready for shaping and final proof, sprinkle the inside of the basket with flour or potato starch powder, this will help to prevent the dough from sticking. Place your prepared dough in the banneton upside down. For ideal proofing, you'll want to ensure that the seam of your dough is facing up. As it proofs, cover your dough with a cloth to prevent a skin from forming. Once it rises, flip your loaf onto a baking tray or whatever you use to bake bread (do not place Bulka basket in the oven). Slash the dough quickly with a sharp blade as appropriate and place it in the oven.
If your dough does not release easily, flouring may have been insufficient. For very wet (“high-hydration”) doughs after placing the dough into the basket inspect it to check that there are no wet-looking areas in contact with the basket. If there are, cover them with a fine layer of dusting flour. In time flouring the banneton before subsequent uses may be less necessary.
After Use: During proofing, the bannetons are intended to draw moisture from your dough. After use, they must dry out completely. This is a particularly important step to complete before storing as they must be dry to avoid the formation of mold. To do this, place the bannetons in a place that is warm and well-ventilated until dry. Also, it is recommened to use the residual heat from your oven after your bread has been baked. At approx. 100-120 degrees Celsius (210-250 degrees Fahrenheit), the baskets dry quickly without being damaged and at the same time killing any germs on the bowls.
Once dry, brush the basket, if necessary, with a stiff but not too abrasive brush. For storage we recommend choosing a location with adequate ventilation.