That looks very good. I am curious when you say three hours is not enough time. I'm am admittedly a novice when it comes to bread making, but I do like to make it the old fashioned way, i.e. not using a bread machine.
The reason I'm curious is that a problem I've run into is over proofing the bread where it collapses and won't rise. Do you have a recipe and or technique for the bread in the picture?
Take my advice with a grain of salt. I no not consider myself a great bread baker. I can make a decent loaf. I did make the breads above and can do it with some degree of consistency. This is not the easiest Baguette recipe but if you get it down you will enjoy the results.
For longer proofing you have to retard the dough by putting it in the fridge or you use up all the yeasts power.
What that recipe is missing Pate Fermentee or old dough. Many people will call it a starter. This is the foundation of good french breads. It is your starter which should be started at least the night before you make your bread. It can be kept for as long as 3 months in a freezer. You leave it in the fridge so it stays alive longer. This is similar to a sour dough starter. This old dough jump starts the flavor profile of the dough as a I understand it.
Real French bread takes a lot of time. Here is a recipe for 3 small baguettes.
A classic French Bread starter is:
5 ounces of unbleached all purpose flour
5 ounces of unbleached bread flour
3/4 teaspoon or .19 ounces of salt
1/2 teaspoon .055 ounces instant yeast
3/4 to 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of room temp water.
Mix dry into dry and then add the water to form a course ball. Dough should not be too sticky or too stiff. Too sticky is better than too thick. You can always add water not take away.
Then knead this dough for 4 minutes or until it passes the window pane test and is 77-80 degrees.
Then place it in a oiled bowl with enough room for the dough to double in size. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temp for 1 hour.
Then degas the the dough and place it back in the bowl and into the fridge for 24 to 3 days.
Now you make the dough for baking. Remove the Pate Fermentee 1 hour before you are making the final dough. Cut it into 10 even sized pieces and let it sit on a counter at room temp under a linen towel.
3 Cups or 16 ounces of the Pate Fermentee
1 1/4 cups or 5 ounces of unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups or 5 ounces of unbleached bread flour
3/4 or .19 ounces of Salt
1/2 teaspoon or .055 ounces instant yeast
3/4 to 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of room temp water.
Same as the Pate Fermentee.
Mix the final dough together just like you did the starter. Then combine the starter and the final dough. Need for 10 minutes by hand 6 if you use a machine. Make sure that the starter mixes completely with the final dough. Make sure you get the dough to 77-80 degrees and make sure it passes the window pane test. Place into a large lightly oiled bowl and cover again with plastic wrap.
Let it sit for 2 hours. Then remove it to a floured counter and divide it into 3 equal parts. Then shape the bread. I use a bread couche to keep the breads in baguette shapes from touching and sticking together. I let it proof for 45 to 75 minute or until it has grown 1 1/2 times their original size.
I place a steam pan in the oven and heat it up to 500. I then score the proofed baguettes on a pizza peel on parchment paper. Place the baguettes onto a pizza stone which is preheated to 500 and then put 1 cup of water into the steam pan. Then close the oven. After 30 seconds you spray water on the inside of the oven walls. Wait 30 seconds do it again. 30 more seconds spray a 3rd and final time. Then lower the oven temp to 450. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate. Bake until the interior is 205 degrees and the loafs are a rich golden brown.
Let the bread rest at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving so the crust, crumb and interior finishes. Then enjoy.
