Baguette?

This was my first attempt at shaping a baguette in the traditional way. It had some problems. The loaf split down each side while it was baking, and there was a seam in the middle, so that slices of this loaf fell apart into two pieces. Next time, I will try proofing longer, but I think my technique was the main problem here. The recipe itself was OK. It called for a water/egg yolk wash, which gives the crust a glossy golden color. The flavor was adequate, but not nearly as good as the overnight (ie "no-knead") bread that is also on my blog.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/French-Baguettes/Detail.aspx