The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Shaping.... batard vs boule

Ang's picture
Ang

Shaping.... batard vs boule

These were from the same batch with very different results.  The batard got a nice ear with good oven spring.  However, the interior was very weak and collapsed when sliced.  

The boule also had a nice oven spring, but interior was very dense.

5 hours bulk ferment, with temperature evenly throughout  process at 79 degrees.

Very active starter that tripled within 3 hours.

Start autolyse when I feed my starter.  Three hours approximately

73% Hydration

I use King Arthur Flour

Any advice would be appreciated!  :)

 

 

 

semolina_man's picture
semolina_man

How much time after removing from the oven was each loaf sliced? 

Ang's picture
Ang

I waited until they were completely cool.  About 4 hours

Timothy Wilson's picture
Timothy Wilson

Maybe it is worth trying for different recipes it is worth fermenting the dough with different durations? Do you knead the dough with your hands or with a food processor?

Ang's picture
Ang

I am going to try kristen@fullproofbaking recipe and will post results. 

I do all of my kneading by hand.

Thanks for your response! 

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Hi Ang,  Any chance of enlarging the small pictures for a better look see?

Derek

Ang's picture
Ang
Martin from KAF's picture
Martin from KAF

I think you're well on your way to great bread. The crust has good shine and, the batard especially, looks well-managed. 

A couple quick thoughts. One, you've illustrated how the same dough, formed different and scored differently, will vary significantly. A good baguette dough, hearth-baked, will have an open structure. The same dough, shaped as a pan loaf and baked as such will have a closed crumb. The point is that the form and also scoring have incredible impacts, especially on structure. Two, did you bake the batard first and then the boule? Whatever the order, it looks like the bottom crust of the boule is too light--maybe the stone wasn't properly preheated or recovered from an earlier bake? 

I hope this, combined with input from others and continued practice get you closer to your goal(s). Happy Baking. Martin

Ang's picture
Ang

Thank you Martin.  The loaves were baked at the same time on different racks.  Both on pizza stones, with steam added by boiling water in lower level. At about 30 minutes in I switched the loaves position in the oven.  

Do you think the batard needed a firmer shaping? 

Thank you for your thoughts, and what fun I am having with my new hobby.  

Briancoat's picture
Briancoat

Batard looks great!

Boule, close but no cigar yet …

Potential tweak list.

Less tightening: Gentler folding and final shaping

More spring: *less* proofing, more steam/enclosure

Bigger bubbles: Slightly more hydration. I recently learned that KA is pretty high in protein so it will take it, no probs.