I've made the ciabatta twice now and it always spreads much more than your pictures (and never gets that puffy). I scale my ingredients so I'm confident that I'm measuring correctly. Should I be adding more flour? I'm so frustrated. I would add 2 tablespoons more flour to start with. As PJ said, practice makes perfect. Keep good notes, remember how the dough feels when it works the way you want it , too, etc. Remember to have fun with it. Mary @ King Arthur Flour Claire, are you using King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour? It sounds like you have just a tad too much liquid in your recipe, which could be the case if you live somewhere humid, and your flour has absorbed moisture. Does your dough look like the picture? Soft, smooth, silky/shiny, able to hold its shape? Are you using instant yeast? SO many variables, but once you get the hang of it, it's really a great bread. - PJH

• Reply