On 22 Jan 2002, Thomas Brown wrote:
> Regarding bannetons - I am a little puzzled - having never used one.
> I get the impression from the posts that they do not go in the oven;
> the bread is only 'proofed' for its' final rising, and removed -placed
> on a baking sheet(?) for the 'heat treatment'.. I am confident that
> if I tried to removed a proofed/risen loaf from a basket, it would be
> quite flat/un-risen by the time I got it to the oven. My levitation
> skills are not what they need to be to accomplish this! Can someone
> that knows about using these baskets enlighten me how not to turn
> every loaf into pizza?
It's scary the first few times you do it, but it is very rare
that the bread will deflate. If it does, it was overproofed.
The procedure is to hold the banneton or brotform close
to your baker's peel (which has been dusted with corn
meal or flour... or covered with a sheet of baker's
parchment) and then turn the form over, close to the peel,
gently dropping the bread onto the peel.
Once the loaf is right side up, slash it if needed, and then
slide it into the oven to be baked. A quick jerk slides the
loaf off the peel and onto your pizza stone or quarry tiles.
Enjoy!
Mike