STEP 10 — Flip and Score

STEP 10 — Flip and Score

Work fast — you want the dough cold when it hits the hot Dutch oven.

1. Pull the banneton from the fridge.
2. Place the inverted-sheet-tray-and-parchment assembly over the top of the banneton.
3. In one confident motion, flip the whole stack so the banneton is now upside-down on top of the inverted tray.
4. Lift the banneton straight up. The boule should release onto the parchment X, smooth side up.
5. Score the loaf with a lame:
   • Use a clean, fast motion at a slight angle.
   • Make a single ~6-inch cut just off-center, about ¼ inch (~0.6 cm) deep.
   • The score is a controlled steam-release valve — without it, the loaf will tear unpredictably as it expands.
   • You can add decorative shallow scores too, but always keep the one functional deep score.