This Sourdough Bread Baking Kit Saved My Holiday Baking

Like many people in 2020, I tried my hand at sourdough bread baking. I had baked at home before, but when I was furloughed from my chef job — after almost a decade — I decided to try sourdough. Everyone on social media was baking these beautiful loaves, so I figured, how hard could it be? Ten pounds of flour and several hockey puck-loaves later, I abandoned the endeavor altogether.

I didn’t pick it back up again until this year. In that time, I learned a plain no-knead loaf recipe that I bake a few times per month, so I felt like I had the skills to do better this time. Again, a sticky starter mess and a flat loaf were all I could produce. Frustrated, I was gifted this Nordic Ware Simply Sourdough Bread Baking Kit from the brand and decided to give sourdough baking one last shot — and I’m so glad I did.  

Nordic Ware Simply Sourdough Complete Bread Baking Kit

I recommend this kit to anyone interested in sourdough baking because it includes everything beginners need to start, and seasoned bakers will appreciate the high-quality versions of standard bread-baking tools. The kit contains a bread pan and dome lid, a silicone baking mat, a sourdough starter jar, a Danish dough whisk, a lame, a cotton proofing cover, a dough scraper, and an easy-to-follow instruction booklet. This kit has totally saved my holiday entertaining — no more sad homemade loaves or expensive bakery bread for me!

My main issue with sourdough baking is the starter. It can be so fickle, and while there are tons of resources online, nurturing a starter is ultimately about vibes. Plus, if you’re not very experienced, some of the instructions on the internet can be confusing, especially when it comes to timing and temperature. This bread kit instantly solved those problems for me, thanks to the band on the starter jar and the booklet’s accurate, step-by-step instructions. I feel much more confident with my starter using the handy bands to keep track of temperature and feedings. 

The other hurdle for me was how to bake it. I’ve tried Dutch ovens, pizza stones, sheet trays, and more — none gave me the bake I was looking for. A Dutch oven was close, but the cast iron conducted heat a little too well; the bottom of my loaves would be overdone before the tops were fully browned. Nordic Ware solved this problem, too. This kit includes an aluminum bread cloche (and the lid doubles as the proofing basket). No more fussing with preheating a Dutch oven or a pizza stone, or lugging something heavy in and out of the oven. When you’re ready to bake, turn your dough out onto the silicone baking mat, plop it into the room-temperature baking pan, and pop it in the oven. 

Going into the holidays, I can actually make a loaf of bread to serve with dinner or alongside a charcuterie board without worrying that it’ll be as hard as a brick. My only wish is that the bread pan and whisk were dishwasher-safe. Hand-washing is annoying but ultimately a small price to pay for picture-perfect loaves worthy of my holiday table. For $100, I think this kit is an excellent investment — and it makes a great gift, too. 

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At the time of publishing, the price was $100.