She Spends Two Days on Every Loaf: 9 Gifts for the Home Sourdough Baker

1. A beeswax-lined bread bag, the 2-pack

Why she'll use itIt's where the loaf lives between bakes. A cotton bag with a beeswax-coated lining keeps a whole crusty sourdough on the bench for up to 7 days, sliced as you go, so less of each bake has to be sliced and put away on day one. Each bag is 33 × 43 cm (13 × 17 in), room for a large sourdough.

Good to knowIt works best on whole crusty loaves. Soft and pre-sliced bread dry out faster whatever they're kept in, and a second loaf she won't get to that week is still best put away for later. Independent testing of beeswax bags is thin; King Arthur Baking says a beeswax-lined cotton bag works very well for sourdough.

The 2-pack is $79.95: one for her, one for you. A single bag is $59.95. Free shipping and a 30-day risk-free trial.

2. A proving basket (banneton)

Why she'll use itThe dough sits in it for its final rise, so the loaf holds its shape and comes out with the floury rings home bakers love.

Good to knowThey come round or oval and in different sizes, so check the shape she bakes most. A cloth liner makes cleaning easier.

3. A bread lame

Why she'll use itA small handle that holds a razor blade for scoring the top of the dough just before it goes into the oven. A clean score is a big part of how a loaf opens up as it bakes.

Good to knowThe blades are very sharp and replaceable; a pack of spares makes a good addition.

4. A cast-iron Dutch oven or combo cooker

Why she'll use itMany home bakers bake sourdough in a heavy lidded pot. The lid holds in steam early in the bake, which helps the rise and the crust.

Good to knowCast iron is heavy, especially when full and hot. A combo cooker, with its shallow base, makes loading the dough easier. She may already own one, so ask around first.

5. A dough scraper set

Why she'll use itA flexible bowl scraper and a firm metal bench scraper do much of the handling of a wet sourdough dough: scraping the bowl, dividing, and shaping on the bench.

Good to knowInexpensive and easy to post. A good stocking filler.

6. A digital kitchen scale

Why she'll use itSourdough recipes are written by weight, so a good scale gets used every single bake.

Good to knowLook for one that reads in 1 g steps and has a tare button.

7. Good flour

Why she'll use itA bag of good bread flour, or something new from a local flour mill: wholemeal, rye or spelt to experiment with.

Good to knowFlour has a use-by date, so check what she bakes with before buying a big sack.

8. A bread-baking class voucher

Why she'll use itA sourdough or bread class at a local baking school or bakery, for a baker who would enjoy learning from someone else for a day.

Good to knowCheck the dates and location suit her before you book.

9. A good bread knife

Why she'll use itA long serrated knife cuts through a hard crust without squashing the crumb.

Good to knowA blade longer than her loaf is wide makes slicing easier.