Dear Janis,
I have several bannetons and use them fairly often. They can come with a
material lining already on or you can sometimes buy elastisized lining that
can be removed at will (I think that it is the same linen/flax material
they use in French bakeries to support french baguettes as they rise). I
prefer my baskets unlined when baking an "artisan/rustic" type bread. When
unlined, I have found the best way to prepare the bannetons is to sift
flour genorously and evenly over the entire interior surface. The flour
keeps the dough from sticking as it rises and "molds" itself. When fully
risen, you need to gently "tip" the loaf out onto a cornmeal or flour
dusted peel to be then placed on a heated stone in your oven or onto a
lightly greased baking pan to be then placed in the oven. Since I do not
use an ABM, I have no recipe for you :-(
The purpose of the banneton is to support the rising dough. Unlined
bannetons leave a distinctive basket weave flour pattern on the baked bread
adding to its good looks. An unlined banneton will produce a "usual"
looking loaf.
I have found that sometimes the dough does deflate, but most often after
slashing it. The two culprits of deflation seem to be allowing the dough to
"over-rise" or using a too wet dough. The secret to success is to find a
recipe for a sturdier dough and to not allow it to rise too long.
Nevertheless, a somewhat deflated dough will still have some "oven spring"
to rise when baking and will still taste better than something you hadn't
made yourself.
PS: When a bread of mine doesn't rise or deflates, I tell everyone to try
my new recipe for flatbread :-)
Ellen aka Gormay
"Whenever you see food beautifully arranged on a plate, you know someone's
fingers have been all over it.".....Julia Child