 Shaping Your Basic Bread
One of the biggest advantages of making your own bread instead of using a Automatic Bread Machine is the opportunity to shape your dough to any number of traditional loaf shapes. A loaf of bread may be formed in many ways, and most bakers have their favorite. The amount of time and effort spent on shaping varies by baker, for some it presents an opportunity to release frustrations by punching and slapping the dough. For others, it is a ritual of simple perfection by flattening, folding and rolling. Whatever your preferred technique, shaping the dough is an important step in breadmaking. Shaping not only provides a decorative touch, but once shaped, a second rise takes place for the dough to produce more carbon dioxide and alcohol for better texture and taste. Shaping also forms the dough for an optimal oven-spring or rise when placed in an oven to bake and a shape so the dough won't drip and bake all over the oven.  Over the next few blogs we will look at a few of the many many many shaping options available. We will start with a regular traditional shape.
Follow this link - BASIC BREAD RECIPE - for our 100% Whole Wheat Recipe. Shaping:  Slightly flatten your ball of dough with your hands, and then cross-grain the dough by folding in each of the four sides, dirctly across from each other. Using the palms of your hands or a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a rectangle, 7 by 15 inches for a large 4 by 8 1/2 inch loaf pan or 5 by 8 inches for a small loaf pan.
 Roll up the dough, starting at the narrow side, sealing each turn tightly with the edge of your hand.  Tuck in the uneven ends, roll the dough one more time. Ensuring that the tucks are under the loaf, you can pick it up and throw it against your kneading board, ensuring that it keeps its shape. This should flatten out the tucks and give you a smooth loaf bottom. Or, if you prefer the passive approach, roll the loaf back and forth to make it even.  Place into a lightly greased pan. (Using the right size bread pan is very important. Too much or too little dough resluts in a poor loaf of bread, particularly when using whole wheat. Whole wheat dough is heavier than white dough and cannot support itself in a wide pan. For best results, bake whole grain bread in a 4 by 8 1/2 inch or narrow bread pan). When making white bread, fill the pan 1/2 full with dough. When making whole wheat bread fill the pan 3/4 full. |
Shaping Your Basic Bread
Over the next few blogs we will look at a few of the many many many shaping options available. We will start with a regular traditional shape.
Slightly flatten your ball of dough with your hands, and then cross-grain the dough by folding in each of the four sides, dirctly across from each other. Using the palms of your hands or a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a rectangle, 7 by 15 inches for a large 4 by 8 1/2 inch loaf pan or 5 by 8 inches for a small loaf pan. 
Place into a lightly greased pan. (Using the right size bread pan is very important. Too much or too little dough resluts in a poor loaf of bread, particularly when using whole wheat. Whole wheat dough is heavier than white dough and cannot support itself in a wide pan. For best results, bake whole grain bread in a 4 by 8 1/2 inch or narrow bread pan). When making white bread, fill the pan 1/2 full with dough. When making whole wheat bread fill the pan 3/4 full.
