Any other bakers on here?

[RJVB]

rolling the dough into a loaf shape instead of just forming it by shaping and stretching. And you will get better bread if you use good flour like King Arthur bread flour. Gold Medal is just awful for bread.

That's something I can try, though I've had several resources warn against stretching dough to make it fit a pan (basically it will un-stretch). I do roll the dough into a sausage form after working it into a rectangular shape but will typically wet the surface that becomes the inside AND twists the sausage several times on itself to avoid the obvious "pre-tunnel" structure inside. I've seen both being done by professional bakers (who of course also get holes sometimes).

Plus, I let the dough leaven for at least 6h usually. From what I understand that should also compensate for flour quality to some extent. In which I usually have little to no choice, btw - again because I use whole wheat flour. For a while we did buy flour from a local miller but combined with cost of electricity that really made my bread economically non competitive with supermarket sandwich bread (some of which is perfectly edible even).

[Gilpy]

If the dough springs back when you try to shape it, let it rest for a few minutes. That should cause the dough to relax and be more workable, unless you have made the dough too stiff.
Getting just the right moisture content is sometimes a challenge!

[RJVB]

Getting just the right moisture content is sometimes a challenge!

If you have a kneading machine (Kitchenaid, whatever) with ditto hook, try the "add moisture and knead until it forms a ball on the hook" method. From what I can tell it won't form a proper "closed" ball as long as the mixture is too dry or not kneaded enough, and won't come off the bottom of the mixing bowl as long as it's too wet (or the moisture hasn't been absorbed properly).
It should probably come off the hook by itself as soon as you stop the machine, though.

[ragman1]

French bakers bag record for world'''s longest baguette

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Now make that into a banh mi!

[Doctor Jeff]

Well I'm from the south so I make biscuits. That counts, don't it?

I also make a mean pizza. We got a dedicated pizza oven recently--650 degrees, cooks in 5 minutes.

I have made bread, but not too much recently. (I used a bread machine a lot but also freeformed the loaves as well.)

My partner is currently in a bread phase. She has the Flour Water Salt Yeast cookbook. Makes a couple of baguettes a week, and is getting better and better at them.

[RJVB]

Well I'm from the south so I make biscuits. That counts, don't it?

If you make em like ole cookie did, sure

Makes a couple of baguettes a week, and is getting better and better at them.

Good baguette is an art; the crust has to be strong and crispy without being more done than a lightish golden brown, and the inside fluffy and tasty such that one could be tempted to eat the two apart. Even here there's a clear difference between (pro) bakers; the new one we got in the village for instance doesn't make them much better than the ones we can get in the local supermarkets. (Their pastries though... good thing they're at a stiff 15 min. back-and-forth walk )

About pizzas ... I've yet to follow up on the idea but this looks like the kind of "stone work" within my league:

My partner has the idea I'd build some kind of wood-fired oven in the shack that currently holds the (unused, empty) fuel tank for the central heating stove - both waiting to be removed and evacuated properly. I'm not really seeing myself taking on that kind of project, I'd rather put in something like this:

[Tal_175]

I was reading somewhere that a big hole in the middle of the loaf is a sign of under-proofing. Assuming that you do the usual two step fermentation (bulk fermentation and final proofing), maybe try giving it a bit more time during the final proofing before baking.

[ewall]

You might try stripping back the recipe to basics and start all over. I have been baking (my Covid hobby) and using books and YT to guide me. Much revolves around the flour you use and the yeast/active sourdough. You are using a very high protein flour so I'd check on your hydration as well. Of course, if you put me up in France, we could experiment!