The Fresh Loaf

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what went wrong with my baguette ? help ?

talalzahid's picture
talalzahid

what went wrong with my baguette ? help ?

i made baguette yesterday and i believe i have the following problem :

1- dense closed crumbs

2- it got rounded instead flat bottom

3- not enough height

can any one help me to identify what went wrong. thanks in advance 

 

geoffreypelkey's picture
geoffreypelkey

You're looking for more oven spring, which means a better shock to the dough. Its possible the oven wasn't hot enough or that the dough wasn't steamed enough. Either that or the water content needs to be upped in the recipe.

Shai's picture
Shai

I guess that your dough needed more water in it. Please post your recipe so we can help you better. 

talalzahid's picture
talalzahid

My recipe was taken from a course by King arthur flour 

poolish 

51/4 all purpose flour 

51/4 water 

pinch of yeast 

dough 

11 ounch flour 

5 1/4 ounc water 

1 1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 1/2 teaspoon yeast. 

 

I have to say I used an old sifted bread flour instead of the all purpose flour. 

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Bread flour requires more water about 5 to 10%  more than AP.   The hydration is almost 65%.   

My husband would kiss the ground I walk on if my baggies looked like yours.  He also likes a fine crumb and a fully round shape.  If I had no choice but to use bread flour, I would be terribly mean to it (because it's so durable) perhaps cutting it with 25% starch and pushing the final proofing limit.   Lots of steam the first 5 minutes.  :)

your picture blown up and rotated (hope you don't mind) :

geoffreypelkey's picture
geoffreypelkey

Try this recipe instead:

Poolish

12oz King Arthur AP Flour

12oz water

1/8th tsp yeast

Let sit for 12hrs

 

Recipe:

Poolish

24oz KA AP Flour

13.18 OZ Water

22 grams salt

1/2 tsp yeast

Your water content is a little low in your recipe, it should be anywhere from 70-75% hydration, yours clocks in at 65%

The bread flour may be what the issue is here, as well.

RobynNZ's picture
RobynNZ

While greater hydration will help for bread flour, the biggest challenge when it comes to making baguettes is technique. As the OP's formula is from KAF, suggest watching the KAF baguette shaping video , also the Ciril Hitz baguette shaping video and  then practise, practise, practise.  Think  'iron fist, velvet glove'.

This TFL thread is also well worth reading:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10852/baguette-crumb-65-hydration-dough