Shaping a Round Loaf

The final shaping of a round loaf begins once the dough piece has relaxed sufficiently to be worked again. This rest time, called “bench rest,” typically lasts between 5 and 30 minutes, depending on the type of bread and the tightness of the preshaping. The more tightly the dough is preshaped, the longer the time needed to rest it before beginning the final shaping. If the dough rests too long on the work surface, it will become overaged and difficult to shape, excessively slack and gassy, and its final color and appearance could be impaired. If it is not sufficiently relaxed, there is a risk of tearing the outer surface of the dough because the dough is still too tight to accept further working. This too, of course, impairs the final appearance of the loaf. It is difficult to verbalize the exact time requirements for the bench rest phase; however, with experience the baker learns to ascertain when the dough is sufficiently relaxed and final shaping can begin. Remember, the dough shouldn’t be too tight or too slack, and should accept the final shaping with fair ease.