What Billy actually bakes with.
My everyday tools from my kitchen and classes, plus a few alternatives for home bakers. Some links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Jump to: Sourdough · Milk bread
Shop the whole list on Amazon- 01.
Oval banneton
Included with class
This is the basket I use to hold a shaped sourdough loaf while it does its final proof.
- 02.
Banneton and lame starter kit
A banneton and a lame in one order, an easy way to get started if you don't have either yet.
- 03.
Bench scraper
Included with class
A bench scraper keeps the counter clean and helps move dough without tearing it up.
- 04.
Dough scraper
Included with class
A flexible dough scraper gets sticky dough out of the bowl without fighting it.
- 05.
My Weigh digital scale
Bread gets a lot easier when you weigh flour and water instead of guessing with cups.
- 06.
Homebuds food scale
A more affordable scale option than the one above.
- 07.
E-Far enameled Dutch oven
A Dutch oven traps steam around the loaf and gives home ovens a fighting chance at a real crust.
- 08.
Bread lame
A lame is just a safe handle for a razor blade, but it makes scoring cleaner and more controlled.
- 09.
Instant-read thermometer
I use an instant-read thermometer when I want to know a loaf is actually baked through, not just pretty on the outside.
- 10.
Rice flour
Rice flour keeps dough from sticking to the banneton without turning the crust gummy.
- 11.
Glass starter jar
A clear jar makes it easy to see when your starter has risen, peaked, and started to fall.
- 12.
Global bread knife
A good serrated knife lets you cut through a crusty loaf without smashing the crumb.
- 13.
Black+Decker electric knife
Sounds like overkill until you're slicing two dozen loaves. Runs straight through a crusty crust without squishing the crumb.
- 14.
Ironwood end-grain cutting board
Big enough that the loaf has somewhere to land once it comes off the knife.
- 15.
Bamboo cutting board
A smaller, more affordable cutting board than the end-grain one above.
- 16.
Cooling rack
Loaves need air on all sides when they come out of the oven. A rack keeps the bottom crust from going soft.
- 17.
Extra-large cooling rack
A bigger rack for cooling more than one sheet pan at a time.
- 18.
Proofing bin
I use a food-safe bin with a lid for bulk fermentation. Clear sides so you can watch the dough rise without disturbing it.
- 19.
Lid for the proofing bin
The matching lid for the proofing bin above, worth ordering together.
- 20.
Cambro container
What I store flour in. Airtight, stackable, and you can actually see how much is left.
- 21.
Cambro set, 4-quart and 6-quart
A couple more Cambro sizes if you're storing more than just flour.
- 22.
Cleaning pads
What I use to get baked-on dough off Dutch ovens and sheet pans without wrecking the surface.
- 23.
Bulk banneton set
Twenty bannetons at once. Useful if you're timing a class or baking more than a loaf or two at a time.
You'll need a stand mixer with a dough hook for milk bread. The Ooni is my favorite; any of the KitchenAids below works too.
- 01.
Ooni spiral mixer
A spiral mixer does the kneading so your arms don't have to. I use mine for enriched doughs, milk bread, cinnamon swirl, anything with butter and eggs in it.
- 02.
Ooni Halo Core spiral mixer
An alternative to my Ooni: their newer, smaller spiral mixer. I haven't baked with this one myself, but it's worth a look if you don't need the full-size Halo.
- 03.
KitchenAid bowl-lift mixer
If you'd rather have a classic KitchenAid than a spiral mixer, this is the bigger bowl-lift model.
- 04.
KitchenAid Artisan mixer
A mid-size KitchenAid, good for milk bread and cookie dough without taking over the counter.
- 05.
KitchenAid Classic mixer
The smallest, most affordable KitchenAid. A fine place to start if you're not baking in bulk yet.
- 06.
Chicago Metallic loaf pan
The 1-pound loaf pan I bake milk bread in. Nonstick, so the loaf slides right out.
- 07.
Chicago Metallic 1 lb loaf pan (another option)
Another version of the same size pan.
- 08.
USA Pan loaf pan set
A set of 1-pound loaf pans, handy if you bake two loaves at once like we do in class.
- 09.
Wooden rolling pin
The tapered beech rolling pin I use to flatten milk bread dough before rolling it up.
- 10.
Silicone pastry brush
For egg wash. Silicone doesn't shed bristles and goes in the dishwasher.
- 11.
My Weigh digital scale
Bread gets a lot easier when you weigh flour and water instead of guessing with cups.
- 12.
Homebuds food scale
A more affordable scale option than the one above.
- 13.
Instant-read thermometer
I use an instant-read thermometer when I want to know a loaf is actually baked through, not just pretty on the outside.
- 14.
Cooling rack
Loaves need air on all sides when they come out of the oven. A rack keeps the bottom crust from going soft.
- 15.
Extra-large cooling rack
A bigger rack for cooling more than one sheet pan at a time.
- 16.
Bench scraper
A bench scraper keeps the counter clean and helps move dough without tearing it up.
- 17.
Dough scraper
A flexible dough scraper gets sticky dough out of the bowl without fighting it.
Want to use the tools with me?
The sourdough class includes a banneton, bench scraper and dough scraper to take home, and everything you need in class is provided for both classes.