Oval Rattan Banneton Basket

No, it is the bare rattan basket, and the bare coils are what print the rings on the crust. For a smooth top instead, line it with a well floured linen cloth or a clean tea towel.

The supplier gives the size, 25 × 15 × 7.5 cm, rather than a dough weight. Shaped dough should come about two thirds of the way up the sides, which leaves it room to rise without spilling over the rim.

Use rice flour, which soaks up less water than wheat flour, and rub it well into the grooves. A new basket needs a heavier dusting for the first few bakes, until a layer of flour has built up in the coils.

Let it dry completely first. Flour and dough flake off far more readily once dry, so tap the basket out, brush along the coils and pick off any crust with a fingernail. Avoid soaking it.

No. It is only for the rise. Turn the dough out onto baking paper, a preheated stone or into a hot lidded pot, and bake it there while the basket dries on the side.