Baguette Problems-scoring/crust

Schloot · May 30, 2023, 5:32pm

Hi Everyone,
nice to be part of your forum!
I’m enjoying the wealth of information and I’m looking forward to participating and contributing.

My first post, however, is out of necessity, asking for your advice regarding trouble with my baguettes.

I’m making baguettes for a while now and I’m enjoying them (mostly reg. flavour) way over everything bought in stores, where many so-called baguettes are really nothing else than sticks of elongated Wonder Bread.

Here is my problem, hoping to explain it properly:

scoring disappears when baking / fills up from the inside, leaving a flat surface without ear.
(Even though cuts were deep and pronounced in the first minute in the oven, they
disappeared with loaves expanding)
Despite being already quite dark (which I don’t mind), the crust it is not crunchy, rather
leathery, can be pushed in with one finger without a noise … then, baking a little longer, trying
to get a crunch, gets even darker and rock hard.
The inside seems to be too wet, too dense and does not have much of an open crumb.
The dough, however, in all stages, feels well developed, spongy and light, rises when proofing.

These are my specifics:

regular bread flour, 70% hydration
Overnight Poolish, room temp, 0.2% Yeast (IDY) (Poolish is 50% of total flour weight)
Final Mix: another 0.2% yeast, 2.5% salt
(I tried a bit of Diastatic Malt Powder but it didn’t make a difference)
After incorporating > Initial rest / hydrating, in bowl, covered ≈ 20 min.
Stretch & Fold, twice, 30 min. rest ≈ 30 min.
Bulk Fermentation: 2 hours, in bowl, covered
dividing / pre-shaping ≈ 30 min.
Couche / proofing ≈ 1 hour
scoring, followed by immediate baking at 250°C on a pizza stone (pre-heated)
(including some water in a tray and from a spray bottle for steam – first 5 minutes)

PS: I must mention that I like to include a bit of Caraway as I like that flavour. Could it be that any herbal additions might disturb proper fermentation? But I tried it without and it didn’t make any difference.

What I’m hoping to achieve is, as seen so many times on YouTube, a light and airy structure,
large air bubbles inside, a dark crust with protruding ear that makes a crunchy noise when squeezed.
Mine turn out: heavy, no crunch (despite being quite dark), no ear and soggy inside.
What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Cheers

Loafs_by_Baker_Bob · May 30, 2023, 10:33pm

For baguettes, I score at 35 to 45 degree angle and I do full steam for entire bake. I use ceramic baking dish which I have pastry beads inside, I fill with water and place on bottom rack in oven and preheat in oven. Before scoring baguettes I boil water and after scoring add add boiling water to ceramic baking dish the load baguettes. For crisp crust important for full steam baking. I have also used 20 minutes full steam for having crisp outside but not a thick crust.

Schloot · May 30, 2023, 10:50pm

Thanks Bob,
I will try more steam next time / come as close to your suggestions, even though I don’t have that ceramic baking dish.
Any further comments are highly appreciated.
Thanks

Fermentada · May 31, 2023, 8:45pm

Is it something like this that you have in your baking dish? I’ve always used beans to weigh down my pie crusts when parbaking, but if I’d have a second use for these balls, I would upgrade

Schloot · June 1, 2023, 12:44pm

Me again. Bob.
Can you provide a picture of the baking dish?
I’m also a bit confused about your description above reg. “fill with water” ? … “Pastry Beads” and … “fill with water and load the baguettes” ?" (into the water?)
I’m sorry but its a bit confusing.

Thanks

Loafs_by_Baker_Bob · July 8, 2023, 2:28pm

Sorry for the delay. Here is photo of ceramic one I use.

I pour boiling water in this ceramic dish it is on shelf below oven shelf where I have pizza stone tiles. I close oven door, score baguettes then place on pizza stone tiles that are on shelf above shelf which has this dish,

I was baking soft sourdough pretzels with convection baking at 350 F.