Originally Posted by
rwsaunders
Le Creuset brand for the Dutch oven, and the "fissure" is just a result of the oven spring, as I didn't score the dough when I placed it in the oven. I use a 78% hydration mix, so after proofing, sometimes it's tough to have a firm enough surface to get a clean score with a lame or knife when I remove the dough from the banneton. I don't refrigerate the dough while proofing (13 hours or so), but you can, which can help firm things up a bit. Nature takes its path of least resistance and cracks the surface when the dough expands at 475F, and scoring the surface essentially directs the cracking, similar to cutting control joints in concrete.