Making a Dough

Mixing dough and shaping a loaf are fundamental processes in every type of bread making. There are many ways to go about this. I’ve developed a hand mixing method that is quite practical and not that hard to master. Besides being one less piece of equipment to clean, mixing by hand also yields a somewhat denser loaf with a cakey texture that’s really nice. Most importantly, using your hands connects you to the dough in a more intimate and tactile way as it develops. The more you mix and manipulate dough by hand, the better you’ll become at telling when it’s ready by feel and shaping it. The basic steps are as follows: