Dust your workspace as needed when forming bread loaves.
The smell of fresh bread can be an evocative and comforting smell, often reminding people of home. Even the process of bread making can be deeply enjoyable, without the daily drudgery of years gone by. Powerful stand mixers and bread machines have taken over the hard work of kneading the dough, leaving enthusiasts to simply shape the loaves and bake them.
Instructions
Rounding The Dough
1. Dust the cutting board or counter top work surface lightly with flour. Turn prepared bread dough out onto the work area. If the recipe makes more than one loaf of bread, divide the mass into the appropriate number of portions. A kitchen scale makes it much easier to make each loaf the same size.
2. Take a dough ball and place it in the middle of the work area, cut surfaces facing up. Stretch a corner of the dough, then fold it into the middle of the ball and press it down firmly, so it sticks. Repeat with the other three corners. Dust the work surface with flour, as needed.
3. Flatten the dough with the heels of your hands, working out any large bubbles you see. Fold the corners into the middle again, pressing down firmly to seal the dough into place.
4. Turn over the dough ball, so the tucked ends are underneath. Cup your hands as if you were going to drink water from them, and place them on either side of the dough ball. The rounded sides of the dough ball should fit naturally into your hands, and the edge of your palm and little fingers should be underneath the edges of the bread dough.
5. Draw one hand toward you and the hand in the opposite direction, with your hands about 1/2-inch apart, pinching the underside of the dough between the edges of your palms. The dough ball should rotate slightly, stretching the top and sealing the bottom. Repeat six to eight times, until the dough has a nicely rounded, symmetrical appearance and the bottom is well sealed.
6. Repeat for any other loaves. These balls of dough may be raised and baked with no further shaping. This is a common shape for artisanal loaves, also known as "boules" after the French word for a ball. Slash the top of the loaf with a sharp knife before baking to allow the bread to expand. If the loaves are to be shaped further, cover them and allow them to rest for 20 minutes.
Forming The Loaves
7. Grease the bread pans, if you are using them, with pan spray or shortening. Set the pans aside. Take the first ball of dough and turn it rounded side down on the work surface. Press it into a rough rectangle, not quite as wide as your baking pan is long.
8. Lift the far edge of the rectangle and fold it toward you, stretching the dough slightly. Press the edge firmly into the dough, to seal it in place. Lift the rolled edge and roll it forward again, once more sealing the edge. Repeat until you reach the near edge of the dough. Seal this as well, and press down firmly on the ends to close those.
9. Place the dough in the pans, sealed edges facing down. Cover the loaves or spray lightly with pan spray. Proof and bake them as directed in your favorite bread recipe.
10. Shape rustic French or Italian loaves in the same fashion, but roll the ends of the loaf under your palms to give them a slight taper. Proof and bake them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Slash the loaves with a sharp knife, to allow them to rise more in the oven.
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