Xmas Gifts

Santa came thru last night with a couple of items from the Baker's Catalog and I have a few questions:

Received a round clouch and the instructions all say to put your dough into the cold clouch and then put it in the oven. Has anyone used a ceramic clouch with the kneadless batter, putting the batter into a hot clouch. Will the ceramic crack?

Also received lidded pain de mie for making square loaves. Does this give a crisp crust or no crust at all?

Thanks.

Happy holidays eveyrone and may all your dough rise next year.

George