Baker's Linen

Bread dough usually has to rise twice, first after kneading and then again after shaping. Even today, bakers still prefer to use a longer length of linen for this second proofing process. This cloth, also known as baker's linen, is used as a cover (to protect against draughts, for example) and as a base to prevent the dough from sticking. The dough piece is placed on one half of the (lightly floured) cloth and covered with the other half. On the other hand, the linen cloth can be used as a kind of mold - for "drawing in the dough pieces", as it is called in technical jargon. To do this, the dough pieces are placed close together on the baker's linen and the cloth is folded in between so that it supports the dough pieces over the entire side and they do not stick together. This is particularly practical when baguettes or rolls are placed to proof. To remove the baking cloth from the dough, it is best to carefully lift the cloth at an angle and remove it slowly so that the delicate thin skin of the dough remains intact.

Another significant advantage over normal cotton tea towels is that linen is very good at absorbing and releasing moisture. It therefore adapts to the surface moisture of the dough piece and acts like a second, protective skin that helps to keep the moisture and temperature of the dough constant. This is particularly important and works even better when several pieces of dough are placed next to each other. In this way, the baker's linen naturally (and completely without plastic) ensures that the dough remains elastic, thus creating the conditions for a good proof and crust.

Our baker's cloth comes from the traditional Vieböck weaving mill, which uses strong, natural raw linen - i.e. unbleached and undyed linen - made from European long-fiber flax. It is woven slowly on old shuttle looms, making the dense and hard-wearing baker's linen particularly stable and durable. And although it is very strong, it can be easily laid into the desired shape. We offer it in two sizes, one smaller and one longer, as is often used in bakeries.