How to shape bread

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, November 14, 2006

The basic daily bread recipe makes enough for 2 boules, or 1 boule plus 3 baguettes, or 1 boule plus 1 fougasse, or 1 boule plus 1 dozen rolls, or any combination thereof.

The instructions here are for 1/2 of the basic daily bread recipe.

Divide dough into 3 portions; cover 2 portions until ready to use.

Press the dough into a rectangle, then fold the bottom of the dough up a little past the center mark. Fold the top portion down to overlap slightly, then press the folded dough along the center to seal the edges. Fold the dough in half again lengthwise, pinching the edges together at the new seam as you go.

Roll the dough back and forth,, stretching it until it’s about 2 inches shorter than your baguette pan. Place the stretched dough in an oiled baguette pan.

Repeat for the other two portions, cover and let rise – about 20 minutes. Dust with flour, slash with a sharp knife or razor, and bake.

Flatten dough into a circle, kneading it with your fingers to deflate any air pockets.

Fold the edges of the dough into the center and pinch them together, then turn the ball over so that the pinched part is underneath. With both hands cupping the ball of dough, move it around in a circle on an unfloured surface until you feel the dough tightening.

Then put the dough into a floured banneton, pinched side up, cover and let rise until it is about 1 inch below the top of the basket – 30 to 40 minutes. Invert the basket onto parchment paper, slash the loaf with a sharp knife or razor, and bake.

Stretch dough into a rectangle, an oval or a tombstone, roughly 10 inches by 6 inches.

With a sharp knife or a dough cutter, cut slits in the dough to form the desired shape: 4 (4-inch) horizontal slits for a ladder, for example, or 2 (3-inch) vertical slits in the center of the dough, then 2 sets of 3 (3-inch) diagonal slits – one on either side of the vertical slits, fanning outward. The cuts should never get closer than an inch apart, as you’ll need to allow enough dough to remain connected.

With floured hands, enlarge the cuts so that the openings are 1 inch to 2 inches wide. Cover the dough and let it rise, about 30 minutes. Dust with flour and bake.

Divide dough into 12 portions. Cover portions with a cloth or piece of oiled plastic while shaping the rest of the rolls. Using only one hand, form the dough the same way you would a large boule, rolling the portions around in a circle on an unfloured surface until they tighten and form a taut ball.

Place them on parchment paper a few inches apart – giving them room to rise – then cover and let rise, about 20 minutes. Dust with flour, snip an X into the tops with a pair of scissors (optional), and bake.