The Fresh Loaf

News & Information for Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts

How to shape a loaf without degassing it?

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jsk's picture

How to shape a loaf without degassing it?

I am in the middle of making a Teff flour loaves (Based on the Vermont Sourdough from Bread) and I've just put them into the bannetons. I had the problem that I almost always have. In the shaping proccess the dough I degassed it almost completely. Actually, even when I pre-shaped it, it was greatly degassed. I've followed Hamelman instructions for making a Batard for the first time. Has any of you tried this before? He sais to preshape into a round and the preshaping instructions are a bit unclear and quite aggresive. What is your way of pre-shaping? And shaping into a round and a boule? I think a lot of people here would like to hear some of you experts shaping methods.

Thanks a lot!

mcs's picture

I don't think it's necessary to preshape a piece of dough that will end up as a batard or especially a round.  I only preshape bread if the final shape is going to be drastically different than the preshape (baguettes, pizza...)
Here's a video of me working with a couple of different doughs without preshaping. 


proth5's picture

and say that Mark's and Mr. Hamelman's shaping methods are very different.

I will not dare to pick a side (but I do love how Mark shapes boules) but you have to pick one method from pre-shape to final shape or you will probably experience some problems.  How do I know? Learned it the hard way.

Happy Baking!

mcs's picture

Hi Pat.
Yes, it's an alternate method to Hamelman's, not a demonstration of his techniques.  But if I were working in his bakery and he told me to, I'd do it HIS way (while grumbling under my breath of course).  Ha.


proth5's picture

 Hey, the bakery owner calls the shots :>) (grumble, grumble...) 

Chausiubao's picture

Maybe there's something I don't understand about what you're doing.

Why are you worrying you about gas retention in a preshape/final shape? The bulk fermentation has been finished, the flavor is there, and the volume is going to come from the proof, which happens after the shaping has been finished anyway. 

Maybe you don't have to worry about losing gas/volume while shaping?

As for pre-shaping a round, I take a square or rectangle of dough and pinch the corners near me into the center. I pinch the side nearest to me down; then taking the sides, I gather the sides and pinch them together, forming a tight round. Keep pushing the dough against the table to tighten up the skin around the round and I'm done. 

Sorry if its hard to understand, I find it difficult to describe shaping in words.


thechilibuddy's picture

Hi, I'm having a similar issue I think. I'm a new baker and have been trying a variety of options with a no-knead recipe (from ABI5M and from the NYT No-knead bread recipe) but one thing I find is that my free-form loafs don't keep their shape at their final rise but end up going sideways - even beyond the lining of flour/meal on the peel. This is almost impossible to transfer to the pizza stone, but i manage to do it with baking paper. 

I live in the tropics and my master recipe is

5.5 cups AP flour
.5 cups wholewheat/10grain Bob's mill
1 tsp yeast
1 tbspn salt
2.5 cups water/liquid whey from left over cheese making(we have abt 65% humidity, so I generally use less than prescribed)

1st rise of 4 hours (or till doubled in size) and sits in the fridge till needed.


I'm wondering about kneading the dough. I've read that kneading will work with the gluten to make it firmer but I was wondering if I should do it at the first rise (before I put in the fridge for keeping) or before the final rise.

Short of putting the dough in a loaf pan, should I be kneading it more?

jsk's picture

Those tips will sure be helpful!


Gene's picture

... that you may find helpful are located here