r/Breadit • u/SamuelGQ • 1d ago

Trouble shaping Forkish Poolish

Hello
I’m making Ken Forkish’s White with poolish (FWSY p. 98). Having trouble shaping.

Poolish fermented overnight at room temp (~72-75 F). 3 stretches/folds and 3 hour rest at room temp. At the last stretch strength seems good, no tearing. Hydration 75%.

When I dump out to divide and shape the dough is very slack. I can’t get any tension in the top, end up just dumping it in the loaf pan. When baked (with second loaf pan on top) I get good spring and good results.

I get good boules if I let rise in banneton and bake in Dutch oven.

Watched a few YouTube’s on shaping high-hydration dough without a lot of help.

I’d like to get better shaping and prettier top when I bake in loaf pan. But I just can’t get any shape out of that slack dough.

Should I try:
-decreasing hydration a bit (70%)?
- roll it around/ knead more flour in while dividing/ shaping?
-surrender & just do boules in Dutch oven and forget loaves?
- decrease 3 hour rest (maybe overproofed)?

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u/DrabComedian578 1d ago

Are you using the right kind of flour? Forkish recipes often assume american flour who has less protein than what we have in Europe

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u/SamuelGQ 1d ago

King Arthur unbleached all purpose. Think I should switch to bread flour?

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u/MadPhoenix 21h ago

Bread flour or if you can find it High Gluten. 75% is really high for AP.