How to Shape Dough

Dough Dough Guides

Shaping is where a slack blob becomes a loaf. Good shaping builds the surface tension that holds your dough tall and gives you a high, even rise instead of a flat, spreading puddle. Here's how to do it — pre-shape, bench rest, and final shape — for the three shapes you'll use most.

Why shaping matters

When you shape, you're creating a taut "skin" around the outside of the dough. That tension does two jobs: it traps the gas your starter produces (so the loaf rises up, not out) and it gives the dough the strength to keep its form through proofing and baking. Skip it or do it loosely, and even perfectly fermented dough will bake flat.

Step 1 — Pre-shape

The pre-shape gets the dough into a rough round and organises its structure before the final shape. It also lets you gauge how the dough is behaving.

  1. Tip the bulk-fermented dough onto a lightly floured surface, smooth side up.
  2. Using a bench scraper, drag the dough toward you in quarter turns, tucking the edges underneath, to build a loose, round ball.
  3. Stop as soon as the surface feels taut and smooth — don't over-tighten or it will tear.

Step 2 — Bench rest

Leave the pre-shaped rounds uncovered (or under a tea towel) for 20–30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so the dough is extensible enough for the final shape without fighting back. The round will spread slightly — that's fine.

Step 3 — Final shape

Choose your shape. In every case you're folding the dough onto itself to build a tight, seamed parcel, then resting it seam-side up in a banneton (or seam-side down in a tin).

Boule (round)

  1. Flip the rested round so the floured side is down, sticky side up.
  2. Fold the bottom up to the middle, then the left and right sides into the centre, then roll the top down over everything.
  3. Flip it seam-side down and use cupped hands or the bench scraper to drag it in small circles, tightening the skin.
  4. Place it seam-side up in a floured round banneton.

Batard (oval)

  1. Flip the round sticky-side up and gently pat into a rough rectangle.
  2. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up (like a letter).
  3. Starting from the short end nearest you, roll the dough up into a tight log, sealing the seam with the heel of your hand as you go.
  4. Place seam-side up in a floured oval banneton.

Sandwich loaf (for a tin)

  1. Pat the dough into a rectangle roughly the length of your tin.
  2. Roll it up tightly into a log, sealing the seam.
  3. Place it seam-side down in a greased loaf tin to proof.
Tension test: after shaping, the surface should feel like a taut balloon and spring back slowly when pressed. If it's slack and sticky, give it one more gentle round of tightening — but stop the moment the skin starts to tear.

Quick troubleshooting

  • Dough sticks to everything: use a touch more flour on the surface and wetter, cleaner hands; work quickly and decisively rather than fiddling.
  • Surface keeps tearing: you're over-tightening, or the dough is over-proofed. Ease off, and check your bulk timing.
  • No tension, won't hold a shape: usually under-developed gluten or under-fermented dough — add a few more stretch-and-folds during bulk next time.
  • Loaf spreads flat in the oven: tighten the final shape more, and make sure you're baking into a hot, preheated Dutch oven or onto a stone.

Put it into practice — browse our step-by-step sourdough recipes, all built around a starter that's ready to bake in 2 hours.

See all recipes →