I've never shaped batards before, and getting into the process for this latest bread challenge was really interesting. The technique obviously needs some work, but I'm really pleased with everything about the end result. I had to leave the house unexpectedly, so these are actually slightly underproofed but didn't split too many seams!
This is the Hamelman Pain au Levain from "Bread," two 1.5 pound loaves of 95 percent white bread flour and 5 percent medium rye at 67 percent hydration. The recipe called for a stiff levain, which was stiff as can be when I made it last night, but turned basically into a thick paste 12 hours later. No ill effects, though.
Crust and crumb shots:
Great looking loaves - did you use the Batard shaping diagrams in "Bread", steps A-M? I was looking at them recently and got lost at about F! So I thought I'd look at the KA shaping videos, but Martin Philip does it a much simpler and easier looking way.
Lance