I have developed a very robust starter but Im not getting the results I was hoping for from baking. Attached is a photo of one of my several attempts at Ken Forkish's pain de campane. Wonderful crust and flavor, but definitely denser than I expected. Per his recipe, the dough rises for about 5 hours, and then after shaping it is placed in proofing baskets over night in the refrigerator--he suggests 12-14 hours. Would be grateful for any and all advice!
especially if your kitchen isn't as cool as his. Let the dough rise during bulk fermentation to the level he says rather than following his times. Using a transparent bucket with straight sides helps with judging how much the dough has rIsen.
As to proofing, once again temperature is key. Your fridge needs to be around 38F. Warmer than that will cause issues.
A couple of things that I have changed from his method is that I niw include a pre shape, a bench rest and a second shaping after dividing and before putting in baskets. I also use the envelope fold method for shaping.
I hope this helps!