The best way to shape round bread dough (boule)

My method for shaping bread dough into a round shape, also called a boule.

In this video, I show my approach for shaping a boule when the dough is strong and when the dough is more slack (like for high-hydration sourdough bread).

➡️ FULL SHAPING GUIDE

🫙 EQUIPMENT
Bench scraper (bench knife):
Proofing baskets:
All my favorite baking tools:

🎥 CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:35 Equipment for shaping
01:53 Intro how to shape slack dough
02:43 Shaping slack dough into a boule
05:41 Intro how to shape strong dough
06:18 Shaping strong dough into a boule

#sourdough #baking #bread

[madchem]

Interesting video, as always!

If you are getting serious about your sourdough baking, you need to get Maurizio's book. Lot's of useful informations, great layout and pictures. I really like the tables with grams and percentages. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy!

[MrEcted]

I'm new to bread making and I love your channel! Great amount of detail and enough repetition to drive the concept home. I'm still struggling with dough sticking and shaping it really taught, but I got a bench knife today and it helps a ton. I'm working on my 4th loaf ever now, and each time it gets a little bit easier.

[CraigMansfield]

I like how gentle you are with the dough, to preserve the air bubbles. I'm a half decent baker, but I need to improve my forming game.

If I could get my boules like yours, I'd be pretty happy :)

[dianewhite]

Hello! I am new to sourdough baking and I stumbled across you and I’m so very happy I did! Your videos will help me so much in my sourdough journey …. I appreciate that you speak slowly and clearly, your camera clearly shows your work surface and you as your working your techniques. Your explanations are very clear and understandable…. I will be watching your videos over and again. I have your absolutely beautiful book The Perfect Loaf which is such a gift to sourdough bakers… Thank You for all the time, energy, effort and love you put into that masterpiece of baking. am taking a sourdough baking class at the Bread Lab (King Arthur Flour ) right now and I thought it would solidify a foundational understanding for me on the principles of sourdough that don’t charge and talk about the variables that do … and send me home feeling more confident that when I arrived but we were just baking recipes. I know you’ve been here ! And walking away, I’m returning to you and sharing your book, your videos and your wonderful instructions snd recipes and insights with others I’ve met in this journey …. Thank you again for sharing your love of baking bread and I look forward to continuing to visit you!

[BreenCourneya]

The best I’ve ever seen on shaping. Thank u so much!

[lcardinal]

Thank you so much for this vidéo! Used your technique with a slack dough: best results ever!

[raine]

HI there thank you for explaining the process so nicely. 🤩🤩

[szepcicerke]

Ez már nem mesterség, hanem művészet. Fantasztikus a videó.

[SONBON]

Pre ordered your book I can’t wait to get it.

[tgif]

Do you usually let your dough finish proofing on the counter or do a cold fermentation in fridge? I just started doing sourdough last November, so still learning! Your bread looks amazing!

[gabea.]

The first technique is like you do your batards, right? So it's a rounded batard so to speak. The second technique I didn't know. Question: There's always mention of the uber-important surface tension. When you (and I mean anybody) preshape and let it rest for 30 mins or so, the dough relaxes again and then you do the final shape. If the dough can relax in those 30 mins of preshape, how much of the tension created on the final shape really remains after so many more hours, resting on the counter (if you do a same-day bake) or in the fridge (if you bake next day or later)? My guess is next to none, and yet I see people manhandle the dough when shaping, degas it in the process, losing those precious bubbles created during the fermentation all in the name of "tension". I like your gentler touch, a few moves and into the banneton it goes. What do you think? Does it make sense to beat the dough into submission in order to create tension? Do you think any tension remains after a long final proof or is it just one of those things we do because it's always been done that way? Thanks! Lovely book by the way, I'm starting to take temperature into consideration in my recipes now instead of just going by feel.

[RivkiLocker]

I have both a granite and a wood surface in my kitchen. Which would you recommend? Thanks!

[laurenb]

Hello, I recently got the 10” wicker round baskets from San Francisco bread institute. Will bread proofed in this size basket fit in the challenger bread pan? Or does the 8” round baskets fit the pan better? Thank you .

[jimmiller]

Hello. Thanks so much for your website and videos! What do you cover the proofing basket with if proofing on the countertop? A tea towel? Thanks again!

[ahsam]

Hi there, thank you for this awesome session. Would be possible to know how long normally would the dough take to proof on the counter?

[Gwal]

Hi there just started baking bread and haven’t got into sourdough though but is this shaping done after the first proofing or is this done pre first proof when you have mixed all the ingredients together ?

[mrgreenbudz]

I have a silly question. I don't have a banneton basket and liner but used a nice large round plastic container with parchment paper and they came out ok. I was wondering if I could just use say a nice cut up brand new white t-shirt for the liner?

[austin]

i love your videos, I need to purchase proofing baskets for your recipes, your Bread Making Tools your recommended Rattan Proofing Basket
in this video description box, your link is to
Wicker Baskets, which material would you like better? What size basket should I get for this recipe?
Thanks

[jean-pierregilson]

Looks to me that the slack and strong shaping techniques are interchanged; seems different than in the book. Tell me if I'm wrong. Otherwise, great tips !

[pontiusaquila]

The technique demonstrated at 4:13, I see in so many tutorials and guides, however I can’t seem to do it without my fingers sticking to the bottom, and completely destroying my dough, no matter how much I flower my hands/work surface, and cannot find any advice