Hi Martin, if you have a pot that's suitable for preheating empty, there's no need to take the bread/dough out of the refrigerator and acclimate it for 45 minutes. This is a measure that is helpful if you're pot may be prone to being damaged due to thermal shock, in which case you wouldn't want to preheat the pot empty, but would allow the dough and pot to acclimate together for 45 minutes at room temperature before placing in a preheated oven. When preheating empty, parchment paper can be helpful to lower the loaf into the hot pot. I like to cut out a circular round with two thick "arms" to lower the bread into the pot. Not all parchment paper is suitable for baking at high temperatures, but our parchment is safe to 450 degrees. Barb

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