Super yeast?
I am attempting to re-create loaves of 'New Orleans Style" French bread. NOT BAGUETTES. I am having great success but I'm plagued by quite large air pockets (or bubbles if you prefer)during the SHAPING STAGE. When I say large I mean really huge. The biggest are the size of un-shelled walnuts, some are the size of grapes and many the size of blueberries. Just to be clear, I want a wildly open crumb in my finished loaf but all those air bubbles DURING SHAPING are giving me fits. I am already using a tiny amount of yeast (1/4 tsp per 400 gm flour and 260 gm water) plus a small amount of yeast in the sponge ( 100 gm flour, 170 gm water, 1/8 tsp instant dry yeast). I let my sponge sit in a tupperware container, tightly covered of course, in a warm kitchen for about 7 hr or until it rises to 2 - 2 1/2 times its original height. After mixing, autolyse, kneading, bulk fermentation ( during which I incorporate 2 French folds) I let rest until doubled. NO TROUBLE UP TO NOW. I next do a pre-shape into "stubby logs". Cover and rest 20 min. NOW COMES THE TROUBLE. BUBBLES, BUBBLES AD MORE BUBBLES. Which, of course, makes for a difficult shaping. I know that I want thousands of tiny air pockets but this is air-pockets on steroids. Any thoughts on the matter? thanks