Jeff, it sounds like a few different things could be happening here. First and foremost, your shaped dough may need to proof for a little longer before you put it into the oven to bake. This will allow the dough to rise more completely and make for a more even crumb structure. If you aren't already, you might also consider adding steam to your bake as suggested in the recipe--this should help to make for a crispier, rather than hard, crust. Lastly, you might consider baking at a slightly lower temp and/or slightly lower down in your oven to help combat the dark, hard crust. For additional help troubleshooting, feel free to give our Baker's Hotline a call at 855-371-BAKE. One of our bakers would be happy to chat! Mollie@KAF

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