![]() Using both hands, which remain in contact with the bench, cup the side of the dough farthest from you and gently drag the dough down towards your body. ![]() Then, fold the left side up and over about two-thirds toward the right, the right side up and over two-thirds toward the left. Finally, fold the top down to about the middle.Īfter you've folded the top down, flip the dough over so the seams are now on the bench. As shown top-left, above, fold the bottom of the circle up to the middle. Lightly flour the bench and flip over the pre-shaped round of dough. Then, you'll flip the envelope over and use two hands to drag the dough and create tension as the dough slightly sticks to the bench. The essence of this technique is to fold the pre-shaped round to resemble an envelope. This straightforward approach is always my first choice when shaping a boule. If the dough isn't relaxed adequately it will resist stretching and folding, and may even tear. The tighter the pre-shape the longer the bench rest, but typically 20 to 30 minutes is sufficient. Sufficient bench rest is important: it should be long enough to allow the dough to relax after pre-shaping. If the dough does begin to tear, use a lighter hand when pushing, pulling, and folding the dough.Įach of the methods below starts with a pre-shaped and rested round of dough. This tearing can be caused by too short of a bench rest or by handling too forcefully. If you use too much flour the dough will slide too easily, never able to develop sufficient tension.įinally, the surface of the dough should not tear when shaping. The key to shaping a boule, using each of the following methods, is to rely on the bench to slightly tug on the dough as you drag it across. Just as the amount of flour on your hands is important, so too is the flour on the bench. ![]() If your hands do begin to stick, slide them along the bench (work surface) to gather a dusting of flour. Use just enough flour on your hands to keep them from sticking but avoid using too much, as this can incorporate unwanted raw flour into the dough. General shaping principlesĪs usual, it's important to prevent your hands from sticking excessively to the dough as you’re shaping. It's a versatile way to shape, and the bread can ultimately be taken in the desired direction of the baker.Īs with most things in baking, there are countless ways to shape a boule, but below are three of my most used and most effective. Tearing by hand is acceptable, encouraged: a bread for sharing.Ī boule can also lend itself to decorative scoring techniques as the spacious surface is the perfect canvas to get creative and more intricate. I find bread shaped as a boule typically has a more rustic feel, with the intention that it's to be cut in half or into quarters, then further sliced or simply left whole and placed on the dinner table. Starting with the same dough, we can create drastically different results simply by shaping it differently. However, it's more than that: it dictates how we slice, eat and, ultimately, share the bread we bake. Of course there are many ways to experiment when shaping dough - some more elaborate, involved, and intricate - but a shaping a boule should always have a place in a baker's toolkit.Īt first glance, it's obvious that shaping is used to impart a certain look and aesthetic to a dough. But there's always the humble boule, a round loaf you return to as a go-to shaping technique. Then transfer each shaped dough onto a proofing couche.A rustic, round loaf of crunchy bread - there's something comforting about this simple shape, isn't there? This is usually the starting point for most: you first learn to shape a round, then maybe dabble in oblong loaves, perhaps a baguette or two.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |