Proofing sourdough without a banneton, and the dusting rule that stops it sticking

A proofing basket is a nice object and it is not required. What it does is hold the shape and wick a little moisture from the surface. Several ordinary things do both.

Substitutes that work

• A bowl lined with a clean tea towel. The standard answer and it works properly. A smooth cotton towel, generously floured. Avoid terry cloth, which the dough grips.
• A colander with a cloth. Adds airflow, which helps the skin dry slightly, and gives you a ridged pattern if you like that.
• A round cake tin or plastic container with a cloth. Whatever matches your loaf size.
• A sieve, for smaller loaves, and it breathes well.

The dusting rule, which is the whole problem
Plain wheat flour absorbs water and turns to glue. Rice flour does not, because it has no gluten and does not hydrate the same way. A mix of about half rice flour and half wheat, dusted onto the cloth generously and rubbed into the weave, is the difference between a loaf that drops out and one you have to scrape.

Rub it in rather than sprinkling on top, so the flour is in the fabric rather than sitting on it.

The other half: keep it cold
Proofing in the fridge firms the surface and makes the whole thing far easier to handle, and it fits the schedule better. A cold loaf releases from a cloth much more willingly than a warm slack one.

What to skip: oiling the cloth, which makes it worse, and non-stick spray, which does nothing useful for dough.