soft then stiff baguette dough

I am trying to make baguettes. I didn't really follow any measurements, but my ingredients are: 1:1 all purpose and wheat flour, salt, water, instant yeast. I don't have a machine. I eyeballed the dough until its the sticky yet intact consistency during the folding phase.

Whenever I fold the dough, after leaving it to rise, the first fold is fairly loose, compliant, and sticky. But when I try to fold it again, the dough somehow becomes stiff. It becomes malleable again after leaving it but is still again by the second fold. Why does this happen? I think there is something wrong with my technique rather than the recipe.

bread

Best Answer

Baker percentage should help you: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_percentage For baguettes the baker percentage is between 73% and 80%. If you knead your dough too much or let the yeast proliferate too long then the gluten breaks down. Find a recipe that suits you.

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Why is my bread dough stiff?

The overworked dough will often feel tight and tough. This means that liquid molecules have been damaged and won't stretch properly, causing the bread to break and tear more easily. Conversely, a dough that is underworked will be harder to form into a ball shape.

Why is my bread dough so soft and sticky?

Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

How do I fix stiff dough?

If the dough contains too much flour compared to water, the result will be a dry, tough pizza dough that's hard to work with. The simple solution is therefore to add less flour. The higher the hydration (the more water the dough contains), the softer, stretchier, and more pliable it will be.

Why is my baguette so soft?

The main reason for making your crust go soft is moisture. This moisture comes from inside the bread so when cooling, you must give your bread enough room to breathe. Keep your bread on a cooling rack with enough space under it. Sugars, milk and other ingredients can also contribute to a soft crust.

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Rachel Claire, Klaus Nielsen, Monstera, Klaus Nielsen