I have had wonderful results with my claybakers. I have 2 long french
bread pans with lids. I mix my sourdough loaves in the Breadmachine at
Dough Cycle.
15 minutes or more before the cycle ends, I soak the bottom of the unglazed
pans in the sink. After the 15 minute soak, remove and dry the inside only.
When new, the pans need to be seasoned by spraying pam on the inside SIDES
only. Sprinkle the bottom heavily with cornmeal. Remove your dough from
Breadmachine, punch down, shape into loaves, place in clay cookers, cover
with waxed paper, let rise in preheated (2 minutes) oven. TURN OFF HEAT!
Let rise again until double (about 30minutes or more). Now soak the tops!
Remove and uncover the raised loaves from the oven. Spritz the loaves,
sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame and sunflower seed. Gently spray the
inside of the soaked tops with Pam ( you need to do this only until
seasoned). Place the tops on the cookers, and bake 30 minutes or more, in
a 425F PREHEATED OVEN. Uncover, reduce heat to 375 or 400F to brown the
tops, watch closely. Bread is done when the inside registers 190 with an
instant-read thermometer. Turn out of pan at once
to cool! Has a nice crust! Works for me!