We have found that "slashing" the tops helps the crust and also a blast of steam from a water spray a couple of times at the beginning of the cooking. The Poolish method - to make standard 2lb loaf or dozen rolls, weigh out 400g flour, mix in bare tbsp salt and one sachet of dried active yeast, mix together, add cold water (temp of flour, water and ambient air temp should add up to about 50 degrees). Mix until smooth even batter, cover with cling film and leave as long as you like, normally overnight here. It will rise up the bowl and then sag back. Add 2 tbsp oil and then remaining 350g of flour. Knead until smooth and springy. Leave to rise at room temp, about 90 mins until double in size. Tip out onto floured surface, don't knock back, gently work into shape (we fit into a greased 2lb tin), cover lightly with cling film and allow to rise (about 1 hr) until loaf is about 1" above the top of the tin. Pre heat oven to 230 deg C, spray water in before you put it in, slash lengthways, gently, but break surface of dough. Cook 1 min, spray again, repeat twice in next 3 mins. Then 230 for 15 mins and then 180 for another 15 mins. In the bread oven it takes a wheelbarrow full of wood added slowly over 4 hours to get up to temp!