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Beginner guide: how to shape sourdough bread boule. Homemade sourdough final shaping is one of the most important basics to master for perfect loaves. It is a simple process, without the need for any special tools. You can either shape it into a sourdough batard (oblong loaves or oval shape) or a boule which is a round loaf of crunchy bread.

Beginner guide: how to shape sourdough bread boule. Shaping a boule is usually the first shaping technique bakers learn. I will share a tutorial on how to shape a simple sourdough boule to achieve the best oven spring!

What is a boule?

A boule is bread that is shaped into a round ball during its final shaping.

Other loved sourdough recipes

• Sourdough focaccia bread
• Sourdough discard berry scones

For a full sourdough recipe visit SOURDOUGH BREAD: FULL GUIDE & RECIPE

Tools you will need:

• bench scraper
• kitchen towel
• parchment paper
• wire rack

After your final proof or the bulk fermentation and once your bread has gone through a few stretches and folds, flip out your bread on a clean dry work surface to do the final shape on your dough before either baking or cold proofing. Do not dust the countertop with too much flour. The reason for that is when you are shaping your dough, you need the dough to adhere to the countertop to help you create surface tension. If the dough is sticky because of a high hydration dough, dust the countertop with 1 tablespoon of flour and use a dough scraper to help with the sticky dough.

Let the dough bench rest for 10 minutes (dough rest on the countertop). This will allow the gluten in the dough to relax, so it will be easier to shape. Be gentle here to not pop or disturb any of those precious bubbles it has already formed.

Shaping process beginner guide: how to shape sourdough bread boule

Carefully pull the dough from all sides to stretch it out just a few inches. Fold one side of the dough onto itself towards the middle. Then fold the other side.

Once the two sides are folded, roll the dough into a ball. then seal the ends. Tuck the ends underneath the dough to form a ball.

After the sourdough is formed into a ball, cup both hands on the outside of the loaf and push the dough towards you just an inch or so. This creates surface tension on top of the loaf to get a good oven spring by creating a good gluten structure.

Turn the loaf to the right just a quarter then cup your hands against the loaf and push it towards yourself just an inch, keep doing this process till you have gone all around the circle. This aligns all the gluten strands to be equal all around. You will see the top of the dough start to tighten. The dough should be keeping its shape now.

Twist the dough in a circular motion on the table to create tension on the bottom of it. This helps to close up any open holes. Flip the dough with the seam side up into a proofing basket or a round banneton. (dust the banneton with flour to prevent it from sticking, you can also use rice flour)

Pinch closed any open holes that might be on the seam side up. Cover with plastic wrap or a shower cap and place in the fridge for a cold fermentation or let it rise at room temperature, depending on what recipe you are using! I hope this beginner guide: how to shape sourdough bread boule was helpful to answer any of your questions!

If the boule still isn’t keeping its shape

If your dough is excessively weak and is too relaxed after shaping, you can add a little structure to the dough by pinching the top. After you transfer your dough to the proofing basket grab the dough’s very outside edge and fold it over to the middle. To create a little package, do this at four sides, where each “flap” is opposite another one.

After the four-folds, you’ll have an even tighter round. This last-minute pinching will create quite a bit of tension in the dough, adding strength to a boule that might otherwise spread significantly in the oven while baking.

Baking a loaf of sourdough bread is pure therapy. Not only will it fill your kitchen with delicious smells of yeasty goodness, but you’ll also walk away with a handful of life lessons along with a piece of unbelievably fulfilling bread. This crusty no-knead bread will become something you bake for your family, weekly! This sourdough bread is baked in a Dutch oven to develop a crispy, golden crust, and the inside has a fluffy and perfectly tangy crumb.

Basic sourdough boule recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1,000 grams of bread Flour
• 650 grams of filtered water
• 20 grams salt
• 200 grams leavened sourdough starter (Active sourdough that’s bubbly that has been fed within 12 hours)

Tools you will need:

• 2 Proofing baskets or 2 medium bowls
• Food scale
• 1 Large bowl
• Parchment paper
• Dutch oven
• Scoring tool or a razor

HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD START TO FINISH

INSTRUCTIONS (makes 2 sourdough loaves)

Autolyse:

• In a large bowl weigh out 1,000 grams of flour, 200 grams of active sourdough starter, 650 grams of warm filtered water, and 20 grams of salt. Wash your hands and give this a good mix. You don’t want to knead the dough, you just want to combine all the ingredients so there are no dry streaks of flour.
• The dough will be very sticky, you might be tempted to add more flour. But trust the process! do not add more flour than what the recipe is asking for
• cover the bowl with a shower cap and let the sourdough bread mixture rest for 30 minutes. You don’t want a tight seal on the sourdough. You still want some air to circulate into the dough, to help ferment it. Yet you don’t want the dough to develop a hard crust either.

Stretch & Fold:

• Place wet hands under the sourdough, and with both hands stretch the sourdough up as far as it will let you. Be gentle not to rip the dough, then fold it over to the middle of the bowl. repeat this process on all sides. Once you have stretched and folded all sides of the sourdough, cover it with the lid and let rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this step three times with 30-minute breaks in between.
• After 3 stretches and folds gently take out the sourdough on a clean countertop. Make sure not to dust any flour on the countertop. Once the dough is out of the bowl, take a bench knife and divide the dough into two equal pieces.
• Once it is divided- cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. This step will ensure that your dough relaxes so it’s easier to work with.

Shaping Your Dough:

• Take your first dough and with your hands stretch the sourdough out on a clean countertop into a circle It will be a little sticky, but make sure to not add any additional flour. if the sourdough is too sticky to work with using your bench scraper to help.
• Take one side of the sourdough and fold it over to the center, then fold over the opposite side.
• Once the two sides are folded, roll the dough into a ball. then seal the ends. Tuck the ends underneath the dough to form a ball.
• After the sourdough is formed into a ball start to twist the dough on the table to create tension on the bottom of it. This helps to close up any open holes. Repeat the same process on the other dough.
• Now that your sourdough is shaped into a ball- lightly flour your proofing basket. 
•  flip your sourdough with the dough seam-side up into your basket or bowl. Pinch to seal any holes. Dust the Sourdough ball with a little bit of flour.
• Cover with saran wrap. Repeat the same process for the other loaf.

Cold Ferment:

• Place in the fridge for an overnight fermentation, or at least 12 hours.

Preparing to Bake:

• Place a Dutch oven into the oven with the lid closed and preheat the oven to 500F
• Take your loaf out of the fridge and gently flip your dough onto parchment paper.
• With one swift motion, score the sourdough loaf using a sharp razor. Make one big score down the middle, leaving 1 inch of the border on both sides. (top to bottom)

Baking Your Sourdough:

• Take out the Dutch oven from the oven, Place the sourdough bread into the Dutch oven with the parchment paper, and close the lid.
• Put the Dutch oven back into the oven and place an empty baking sheet beneath the Dutch oven to prevent the bread from burning on the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes at 500F
• After 30 minutes remove the lid from the Dutch oven and lower your heat to 450F and bake an additional 3-10 minutes depending on how much color you want on your sourdough bread.
• Take out your sourdough bread from the oven, and place it on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before you slice into it.

Enjoy! I hope your household will become as obsessed as we are with sourdough bread!