Traditional baguettes, 12/27/2020 bake prep.
The dough has been mixed using my Traditional baguette, bosch specific method. We are now in bulk ferment. I find it very helpful to have my tiny work station ready and organized.
since we know that 1,680 grams of dough equal approximately 1.68 liters, we can calculate a 25% increase to be approximately 2.1 liters. The progress will be checked in 60 min. from the start of bulk. 
After 105 minutes at 76 degrees F., the baguette dough is showing good fermentation. Not only is the volume increase very close to 25% the top view shows a slight but pronounced dome, the corners are pulling away from the sides, and air bubbles are visible.
The dough was divided, and pre-shaped 3 at 560 grams. The final shape will be long batards.
After 7 Hrs. of cold retard/proof, here we have the three long batards and one Asciugamano. While searching the fresh loaf archives I happened on the DMsynider formula for Asciugamano, I decided to give this obscure Italian bread a go! Actually, the Asciugamano is a blank to help hold the batards during the proof.
From the looks of things, we seem to be slightly over-proofed, not grossly, however.
Wow! What a letdown, I could kick myself! I neglected to turn down the oven temperature, after purging the oven for the second 13 minutes of bake time. I only checked on them once, 10 minutes in. This is the sad result. Over proofing notwithstanding, this would have been a pretty okay bake!
Closing thoughts.
1. The shaping turned out rather well, especially for the seeded bats.
2. These are the size I have been trying to emulate! The Italian batards from the Prenice brothers bakery, made famous by Sonny's Hero shop.
3. Had I ended the bulk only 15:00 minutes earlier I am fairly certain these bats would have burst open.
4. I am glad I proofed these seem side up. The dough had begone to dry out. I will have to dampen the flour sackcloth cover, next time.
5. True that! Plenty of time for counting, when the deal is done!
Comments
Dough is denser than water, so your calculation is off. If you drop a piece of freshly made (unrisen) dough into water it will sink. That's the basis of the float test - it only floats (in the case of all-wheat dough) when it has grown. And in your container, the dough is clearly below 1.5 liters in volume. So if you aim for 25% increase and end bulk at 2.1 liters, you will overferment. Just FYI.
I just finished shaping and put the sticks into cold retardation. I set the timer for 8 Hr.30 Min. That will give me time to preheat, walk the pup. Then to slash and bake, Nine hours from now total. Time will tell 4:00 AM is the earliest can get the show on the road.
P.S. This would not be the first time I screwed to pooch on the bulk/retard. Smile...The bane of my baking life!!
until the actual bake. An unnecessary reminder that every step has a consequence. The early missteps can usually be somewhat accommodated, but the bake is unforgiving ☹️. As you state, good shaping, and if these can be cut into rounds, the charred tops will barely be noticeable.
I can't find any reference to David's "towel" bread, do you have a link?
I will look for it. Stay tuned, another set in retardation!
It looks like you had top element woes here. Went through the same thing here - http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/65316/new-oven-build-preliminary-results.
you should see a bake in this thread that looks similar. But as alan suggest - they should still be good eating. I blew a croissant bake yesterday by screwing up on step along the way. it hapoens.
Hey, Kin.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend. The oven was well preheated to 550F with the rack one position up from the bottom, on the bake setting (bottom burner)
We already ate the seedless one for lunch. (See photos above)
Best,
Will F.