Shaping bread dough is my favorite part of the entire sourdough bread-making process. After hours of nurturing a sourdough starter, mixing, and bulk fermentation, it&#;s when we get creative and put our hands to work.

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The problem is that shaping can be difficult.

If the dough isn&#;t at the right level of strength, is not divided and preshaped correctly, or the motions for shaping are practiced, it can be frustrating. And trust me, I&#;ve been there a few more times than I&#;d like to admit (hello there, unruly oat porridge sourdough).

This guide to shaping bread dough will help you through this tricky step; it contains my best guides to handling and shaping many of the common, and a few uncommon, bread shapes.

Shaped boule (round).

What is Shaping Bread Dough?

Shaping bread dough is the step in the bread-making process when you physically transform divided and preshaped dough into its final form, with the intention that the form is retained to some degree until the dough is baked.

The bread-making process at a glance.

With the style of baking I typically do, shaping is the sixth step in the process, right after dividing and preshaping and right before proofing. The result of shaping is smooth dough with a tight outer skin that&#;s then placed into a proofing basket or bowl for the dough&#;s second (or final) rise.

Before shaping, though, we must first talk about the step before: preshaping.

Should I Preshape My Dough Before Shaping?

While not always necessary, I usually preshape my bread and pizza dough.

At the end of bulk fermentation (first rise), we have a large dough that&#;s risen for several hours and is disorderly once tipped out to the work surface. If you&#;re making more than one loaf of bread, this large dough needs to be split (divided) into smaller pieces. In doing so, you end up with shaggy, unorganized bits of dough. To make final shaping easier, preshape those shaggy bits into loose but organized pieces.

These smaller pieces will be smoother, more cohesive, and ready to form into the final shape.

Why Do We Need to Shape Bread Dough?

Strictly speaking, shaping bread dough isn&#;t mandatory. Some styles of bread are simply cut and loaded for baking (I see ciabatta as one that has little or no shaping at all). However, shaping allows bakers to form their fermented bread dough into a pleasing final shape.

However, the shape of a baked loaf is more than just how it looks it also has implications on its eating quality and the way the bread might be used. For example, compare the French baguette with a large miche. Both are very different shapes that result in using them for different purposes, but further, the shape affects the characteristics of the bread:

• Baguette: because of its thin, pointy stick shape and short but hot bake time, it will have a very thin crust and maximum crust-to-crumb ratio.
• Miche: because of its large, round shape (boule) and required long bake time, it will have a thicker crust with a lower crust-to-crumb ratio

Michael Hoeweler

How to Check If Bread Dough Is Ready for Shaping

For the type of bread I typically make, the step right before shaping is preshaping, but right before then is bulk fermentation&#;the dough&#;s first rise. Let&#;s look at each case.

• End of bulk fermentation: Look for dough that&#;s risen perceptibly in the bulk fermentation container. It should be smooth and elastic, and the side of the dough where it meets the container should be domed down.

• After preshaping: Look for dough that&#;s relaxed outward. Since the dough is usually preshaped into rounds, the preshaping process naturally tightens the dough (strengthening the gluten). Because of this tightening, the dough must relax outward to allow for final shaping without tearing. Typically, look for the dough to have relaxed back out from its preshaped round to about 30%[footnote]The amount the dough relaxes outward depends on the type of dough. For instance, a very wet whole wheat dough will relax outward farther and faster than a low hydration white dough.[/footnote].

A shaped bâtard with a tight outer skin.

How to Get a Tight Outer Skin When Shaping Bread Dough

One frequent question I receive is from bakers struggling to get a tight (or taut) outer skin when shaping bread dough. A tight outer skin helps ensure the dough keeps its intended shape all the way to bake time. Further, that tight skin is also smooth, taut, and elastic, which helps it remove cleanly from the proofing basket.

To get a tight outer skin when shaping, be sure the dough:

• Has sufficient dough strength: the dough should be strengthened through both mixing and stretching and folding during bulk fermentation so that it&#;s strong and smooth before dividing

• Is preshaped properly: preshaping is an opportunity to transform a shaggy mass of dough into a smooth, regular shape which helps facilitate the final shaping

• Is shaped tightly: the dough should be shaped tightly enough to hold its form until baking. This is usually shown as dough that has a smooth outer skin that isn&#;t overly sticky and holds its shape on the work surface after shaping

When Can I Add Toppings Like Seeds or Grains to The Outside of My Dough?

Once you&#;ve shaped your bread dough and it has a smooth outer surface, you can roll the dough in a tray of seeds, grains, or other toppings. If your dough is very dry, it can help to first lay out a towel moistened with water, then, first roll the dough on the towl, then the tray with toppings.

Read through my guide to topping bread dough for topping inspiration (oats, seeds, wheat bran, and more!).

Let&#;s now turn to the actual shaping of bread dough and what forms are available to the baker, starting with my favorite shape, the oval bâtard.

A shaped and baked bâtard (oval), my favorite way to shape bread dough.

How to Shape a Bâtard (Oval)

I&#;m naturally drawn to this shape, and I typically score a long, single slash to bisect the loaf down its central meridian. The way the score peels back, singeing the very edge to a dark brown, and forming a pronounced &#;ear&#; with a spectrum of colors from edge to edge&#;it gets me every time.

I also simply like the way it slices. Each cut makes a cross-sectional slice that&#;s a little shorter, perfect for making a hearty sandwich.

• Shaping: I have two methods, one for slack dough that imparts more structure and strength (&#;stitching&#;) and one that I use more often, which is gentler and encourages a more open crumb (&#;cinching&#;).

• Proofing: I always proof my bâtard dough seam side up in a covered basket.

Read my guide to shaping a batard &#;

How to Shape a Boule (Round)

A staple shape for any baker, the boule is the simplest form of shaping and a good option when working with doughs that are expected to have a tighter interior crumb (like porridge bread, whole wheat, or those with high mix-in percentages).

I use the same boule shaping method for shaping smaller loaves up to larger loaves, like a sourdough miche.

• Shaping: I have two methods, one for a slack dough calling for extra folds, pushes, and tucks, and one for a simple &#;gathering up&#; of the corners toward the middle when the dough is stronger and more elastic.

• Proofing: I always proof my boule dough seam side up in a covered basket.

Read my guide to shaping a boule &#;

How to Shape a Pan Loaf (For Sandwich Bread)

I&#;m a big fan of pan loaves; the pan&#;s structure lets you push the limits of what a dough can handle (water, mix-ins, enrichments) while almost always guaranteeing success.

• Shaping: My method is similar to a bâtard, though I typically like to degas pan loaf dough before shaping to ensure an even crumb with small holes.

• Proofing: I always proof my pan loaf dough seam side down in a covered baking pan.

Read my guide to shaping pan loaves &#;

How to Shape a Baguette (Or Demi-baguette)

Thanks to our smaller oven size and limited proofing options, baguettes are a challenge for the home bread baker. But they also require practice and consistent attention to fermentation, dough strength, shaping, and proofing.

That said, they&#;re one of my favorite types of bread to make and are &#; worth the effort.

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• Shaping: More involved than most other shapes, and it becomes easier with consistent practice. The challenge with baguettes is to be gentle enough to preserve an open and airy structure, without being so gentle they lose structure when baking.

• Proofing: I always proof my baguette dough on a couche (baker&#;s linen). Another option is to use a clean, large kitchen towel.

Read my guide to shaping a baguette &#;

How to shape buns, rolls, and small pieces of dough

You can use your hands to make small, tight rounds when shaping bread dough as a small bun or roll. Alternatively, you can use a bench scraper if the dough is extra soft and tacky. I tend to use my bench scraper more often than not because it&#;s easy to push and pull the dough against the work surface with the blade, more easily encouraging a tight skin to form on the exterior of the dough.

I use two methods here, one with only my hands and one with my bench knife.

• Shaping: I use two methods, either with my hands lightly floured, or I will use a bench scraper to push, pull, and round the dough into a tight form.

• Proofing: If I&#;m baking buns or rolls in a pan (like shown above), I&#;ll proof them directly in the pan (typically until they rise to the rim). I&#;ll proof them on a covered baking sheet with equal spacing between them for sturdier or crustier buns and rolls.

Read my guide to shaping buns, rolls, and other small pieces of dough &#;

How to Shape Pizza Dough

Okay, while not strictly &#;bread dough,&#; I&#;d be remiss if I didn&#;t include a link to my pizza dough shaping guide. I&#;m in a camp that believes pizza is certainly not bread, but I still hold both in equally high regard.

• Preshaping: I typically pick up each piece of divided dough and use my hands to pinch the dough around itself to form a ball with a smooth, tight skin and no bottom seam.

• Proofing: Pizza dough is proofed before it&#;s shaped into a final, large circle. I like proofing my pizza dough in a covered pizza dough bin, a small glass container, or a covered baking sheet.

• Shaping: To shape a proofed piece of pizza dough, I first dimple down the bottom side of the relaxed round, careful not to overly press out the outer rim of the circle. Then, I flip it over, dimple down again, and begin spreading the dough outward into a large circle. Often, I&#;ll pick up the dough midway through this spreading and drape it over the backs of my curled fingers to encourage the dough to stretch outward.

Read my guide to shaping pizza dough &#;

Shaping Bread Dough FAQs

Why is my bread dough so sticky when shaping?

Either your dough is over hydrated, under-strengthened, or over-proofed. In most cases, it is either over-hydrated or under-strengthened. Hold back some of the mixing water next time if you feel the dough is very wet and hard to handle at the end of mixing. If the dough feels weak and fails to smooth and hold its shape by the end of bulk fermentation, mix/knead it longer or add more sets of stretches and folds during bulk fermentation.

Should I use water, flour, or something else when shaping bread dough?

When preshaping, I like to use water, but for final shaping, I almost always use flour don&#;t he work surface and my hands to keep everything nonstick. An exception might be a very highly hydrated dough like a pan loaf, where water might make more sense since the dough will be very sticky and wet.

What&#;s Next?

Now that you know everything about shaping bread dough, see the next step in the bread-making process: proofing your bread dough for the best flavor and rise possible.

Finally, if you want to see all the steps to the sourdough bread-making process, read through the Beginner&#;s Guide to Sourdough Bread.

In , we added a sixth video at the end of this shaping article, showing how to shape very sticky, low gluten dough.

Fundamentally, when you shape bread dough you&#;re doing two things: primarily you&#;re molding the dough into the basic shape of bread that you want to bake. Secondarily, and in many ways more importantly, you&#;re developing surface tension in the outer &#;skin&#; of the dough. This surface tension helps hold the dough in the shape you&#;ve chosen while it expands during the final proof (rather than having the dough spread out all over the place when you turn it out of the proofing basket). The structural integrity imparted by this surface tension goes a long way toward defining the quality and characteristics of both the crust and the crumb of the resulting loaf.

Most artisan-style breads are shaped into round, oval, and oblong loaves. The French terms boule and bâtard are often used for round and oval loaves, respectively. The baguette is a slender oblong loaf of bread, while a thicker oblong loaf can be baked in a cloche like this one. I&#;ve been known to call that latter loaf shape a &#;bagtard&#; because it seems like a baguette-bâtard hybrid. Finally, sandwich loaves are shaped by rolling, which is similar to oblong loaves, but the dough requires less surface tension since it will rise and bake supported by a pan.

Below are videos showing how I shape boules, bâtards, oblong loaves, baguettes, and sandwich loaves. I&#;ve observed many effective shaping strategies, so please know these aren&#;t the only good shaping methods out there. Ultimately, you need to develop an approach that works for your hands. Moreover, your shaping approach needs to respond to different dough size, gluten strength, and degree of fermentation. Even your goals for the final bread can impact shaping e.g. Are you prioritizing an impressive bloom or an open crumb? (Of course we&#;d all like to achieve both!)

Here are some tips for responsive shaping based on the dough and your goals.

Please share in the comments how you like to shape your dough and what strategies you&#;ve developed.

• When the dough feels under-fermented, I de-gas the dough more aggressively when I&#;m spreading it flat at the start of shaping, and I shape the loaf tighter. I may also stitch the dough in the banneton to further tighten it. Stitching is when you pull the sides of the dough inward in small increments, alternating left to right. (You can see this at the end of the oblong video below.) I believe this allows the final proof to be longer, somewhat making up for the &#;under bulk,&#; without the dough losing its shape.
• When the dough feels over-fermented when I scrape it out onto my countertop, I may skip the pre-shape and the bench rest, and shape right away, or I might do a shorter bench rest, along with a gentle shaping to preserve some of the aeration.
• For dough that is very extensible (spreads and doesn&#;t recoil), I may do the shaping motions twice before I&#;m satisfied with the form of the dough. For example, I get to the end of shaping a bâtard, decide it&#;s too floppy, flip it over, turn it 90°, and start over again with shaping. This happens with some low-gluten ancient grains, but also when I want to build gluten strength at the last minute in a no-knead dough made of refined flour.
• For dough that is very elastic (with tight recoil), I may extend the bench rest to loosen the gluten a bit, shape with minimal motions to avoid tearing, and let the dough rest for longer on its seams before transferring it to the banneton, so it doesn&#;t spring back open.
• If I want to prioritize an open crumb, I&#;ll avoid de-gassing the dough when I&#;m spreading it flat at the start of shaping. Also, I&#;ll shape more gently and not stitch the dough on the bench or in the proofing basket.
• If I want to prioritize the score bloom, I&#;ll shape on the tighter side, though in my experience fermentation, hydration, and gluten strength tend to play a bigger role than shaping in achieving a big &#;ear.&#;
• When I&#;m shaping baguettes, I usually roll them under my palms at the end to fully blend the seam. I proof them seam-side down, but then flip them to score and bake. I think flipping helps air bubbles spread evenly in the dough. With oblong loaves, which are shaped in a similar way, I don&#;t roll to blend the seam because they proof seam-side up in a banneton and then flip to bake on the seam.
• A quick note on temperature: I&#;d read and been told that cold dough is prone to tearing and that one should let refrigerated dough warm up before shaping it. This hasn&#;t been my experience, though. I find that if the dough is pre-shaped directly from the refrigerator, followed by a 20-30 minute bench rest, it is sufficiently malleable to shape firmly. I suspect the tearing is more of an issue at a lower hydrations, such as with bagel dough or pie crust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How to Shape Dough