September 22, 2014 - 7:23am
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
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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.
I guess that your dough needed more water in it. Please post your recipe so we can help you better.
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.
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) :
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.
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