When I first started baking, making bread was the bane of existence. All that flouring, kneading, cinching, slashing, and rising used to drive me insane.
Thankfully, that didn’t last long; I quickly learned to face my dough dilemmas head-on.
Here are 15 expert tips that helped me improve my kneading, shaping, and proofing.
5 Tips for a Successful (And Not-Too-Exhausting) Kneading
Let’s start with some good old elbow grease: kneading.
1. When Possible, Hand-Knead
Bench or hand-kneading can be hard work. Think 10–30 minutes of pushing the dough against the counter using the heel of your palm.
Yet, it can be superior to mechanical kneading (with a stand mixer) whenever you need to get a feel of your dough’s hydration and elasticity.
Plus, you’re less likely to over-knead in this case. Odds are, your arms will tire out before you get close to overdoing it.
2. Know Your Kneading Techniques
Not all kneading techniques are the same.
Don’t worry; the recipe will tell you which one to use. You just need to be aware of the different approaches, including:
- Basic fold
- Slap-and-fold (French fold)
- Stretch-and-fold
- Rubaud
3. Oil Rather Than Over-Flour
Without flouring your tabletop, your dough will stick to the counter as you hand-knead it.
But there’s such a thing as too much flour on your work surface. Remember that more flour = stiff, dry dough.
Celebrity chef Paul Hollywood actually recommends using vegetable oil to grease the table.
4. Do the Windowpane Test
To check if you’ve kneaded enough, tear a golf-sized ball from the dough. Hold it in front of a light source and gently stretch it out.
Can you see the light passing through the dough before it starts tearing? If so, you’re all set!
5. Use a Visual Guide
If you’re new to baking, it helps to have a visual guide of the different dough consistencies next to you as you knead.
5 Tips for Shaping Your Dough Like the Pros
Shaping dough is more nuanced than you might think. Here are some pro tips to help you nail your shaping process:
1. Divide and Pre-Shape First
You technically don’t have to pre-shape your dough. But it does tighten the surface and give you smoother, more uniform portions to work with.
2. Don’t Forget the Bench Rest
Done dividing and pre-shaping? Set your dough on the counter to rest for a bit.
Depending on the dough and shape, your bench rest period could be 10–45 minutes.
3. Tailor Your Shaping Techniques
Cinching works well for low-hydration dough. Meanwhile, stitching provides plenty of tension, suitable for high hydration levels.
But for smooth rounds, rolling is the way to go.
And if you’re not so confident with your shaping skills? Make a few tin loaves before trying your luck with a free-form/rustic loaf.
4. Transfer With a Bench Knife
The last thing you want is to ruin the shape you just spent a while trying to nail.
So, do yourself a favor and use a bench knife/scraper to transfer the loaf.
5. Wash Your Hands With Flour (Yes, Really!)
When you’re all done shaping your dough, don’t stand there for ages trying to scrub your hands.
Just do a “flour wash,” which essentially means rubbing flour on your hands to dry the dough bits and make them easier to remove.
5 Tips for Proofing Your Dough Just Enough
Ready for the final proof?
1. Don’t Be Scared to Try Unconventional Proofing Spot
Proofing happens best in warm environments, around 75–80°F.
If your house is cold, you could invest in a proofer. Or you could save the money and just put the bowl somewhere warm.
Here are some unconventional spots to consider:
- Next to a radiator
- Inside a turned-off oven with the lights on
- Over a heating pad or germination mat
- Inside a still-hot dryer
Just make sure to put a sign to warn other household members that a delicious loaf is proofing the oven, dryer, etc.
2. Reconsider Your Towel Cover
Do you drape a towel over your bowl? Your loaves might end up with ugly skins.
For best results, grab a non-porous, tight-fitting cover.
A dough-rising bucket could be a smart choice since it also has markings. This way, you can tell when your dough has doubled in size.
However, bowel covers, pot lids, and sheet trays will do the trick.
3. Know When to Stop Proofing (Do the Poke Test)
More proofing isn’t always better. In fact, an over-proofed dough could sink and collapse on itself.
How much proofing is too much? Well, it depends on the dough.
I’d stick to the recipe instructions and do the poke test to double-check. That’s when you lightly flour your finger and poke the top of the dough about an inch deep.
Your dough is ready to bake if your finger leaves a permanent indent.
What if you can’t bake right now? Move the dough to a cold place to slow down the proofing process.
4. Salvage Your Over-proofed Dough
You don’t have to throw the dough away just because it was proofed for too long.
All it needs is deflating and re-shaping.
5. Score Last (Or Don’t)
Generally speaking, you score the dough after the final proof and before you pop it into the oven.
However, sometimes, you’ll need to score the bread immediately after shaping and before the final proof. This might be the case if you’re baking a bloomer.
Final Thoughts
Do you still have an unaddressed dough dilemma? Let me know, and I’ll see if there’s a nifty tip for it!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.