How to Shape Sourdough Bread — Boule and Batard for Home Bakers

Shaping is the step that turns a blob of fermented dough into a loaf. It looks intimidating, but it comes down to one thing: building surface tension. Get that right and the rest follows — a tall oven spring, an open crumb, and a crust that cracks when you tap it. This guide covers everything you need to know, including preshaping, bench rest, and the two shapes most home bakers will ever need: the boule (round) and the batard (oval).

Why Shaping Matters

After bulk fermentation, your dough is full of gas and relatively delicate. Shaping does three things:

• Builds surface tension — a taut outer skin that holds the loaf's shape and forces oven spring to go upward rather than outward
• Organises the crumb structure — the direction you fold influences how the gas bubbles align inside the loaf
• Prepares the dough for its final proof — a well-shaped loaf sits cleanly in the banneton and holds its form through cold proofing

Poor shaping produces flat loaves that spread sideways regardless of how well everything else was done. Good shaping is the bridge between great fermentation and great bread.

Before You Shape: Know When Bulk Fermentation Is Done

Shaping too early (under-fermented) or too late (over-fermented) both cause problems. Your dough is ready to shape when:

• It has grown noticeably — typically 50–75% in volume, not necessarily doubled
• The surface looks domed and slightly bubbly
• It feels airy and light when you gently shake the container
• It jiggles as one cohesive mass, not as a dense blob

If you're unsure, our bulk fermentation guide covers timing, temperature, and readiness signs in detail.

The Tools You'll Need

• Bench scraper — essential for moving and tensioning the dough without tearing it
• Round or oval banneton — for final proofing after shaping. See our banneton guide for sizing and care
• Light dusting of rice flour — for the banneton only, not the bench surface

Do not flour your work surface when shaping. The dough needs to grip the bench slightly — that friction is how you build tension. Flour eliminates it.

Step 1 — Preshaping

Preshaping is a rough, gentle rounding of the dough before the final shape. It's not optional — it gives you a uniform starting point and starts to build structure before the final shape.

1. Turn the dough gently onto a clean, unfloured bench. Try not to degas it
2. Using a bench scraper in one hand, fold the edges of the dough toward the centre — bottom, sides, top
3. Flip the dough seam-side down using the scraper
4. Cup both hands around the back of the dough and drag it slowly toward you, letting the bench grip create tension on the outer skin
5. Rotate 90° and repeat the drag a few times until you have a smooth, taut round

The dough will feel a little sticky and imprecise at this stage — that's fine. You're just creating a rough ball, not the final shape.

Step 2 — Bench Rest

After preshaping, leave the dough uncovered on the bench for 15–30 minutes. This rest relaxes the gluten, making the dough more extensible and easier to shape without tearing. Don't skip it — trying to final-shape immediately after preshaping will cause the dough to resist and tear.

In warmer Australian kitchens (above 24°C), keep the bench rest to 15 minutes. In cooler conditions, 25–30 minutes is fine.

Step 3a — Shaping a Boule (Round Loaf)

The boule is the classic sourdough shape — round, domed, and the easiest to learn. Use a round banneton for proofing.

1. Flour the top of the rested dough lightly, then flip it over so the floured side is down and the sticky side faces up
2. Fold the bottom third of the dough up to the centre
3. Fold the left side in to the centre, then the right side
4. Fold the top third down over everything — you now have a rough square package
5. Flip the dough over seam-side down using your scraper
6. Cup both hands around the back of the dough and drag it toward you firmly but smoothly — the bench grips the bottom while the outer skin tightens
7. Rotate 90° and repeat, working around the dough until the surface is smooth and taut
8. The dough should hold its round shape and not immediately spread flat — if it does, your bulk fermentation may have gone slightly long

Place seam-side up into a well-floured round banneton, cover, and move to the fridge for cold proofing.

Step 3b — Shaping a Batard (Oval Loaf)

The batard is an oval loaf — slightly more elegant, easier to slice for sandwiches, and produces a more open crumb due to the directional tension in the shaping. Use an oval banneton. It requires a bit more technique than a boule but follows the same principles.

1. Flour the top of the rested dough, then flip seam-side down
2. Gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle — don't force it, let it extend naturally
3. Fold the bottom third up, then fold the left and right sides in slightly (like a letter)
4. Starting from the top edge furthest from you, begin rolling the dough toward you — tight, steady rolls, pressing gently with your fingertips to seal each roll
5. At the end of the roll, use the heel of your hands to tuck and seal the seam firmly against the bench
6. Cup both hands around the log shape and use gentle back-and-forth rolling motions to elongate and tighten the shape
7. Tuck the ends under slightly to create a pointed oval

Place seam-side up into a well-floured oval banneton. The seam faces up in the banneton because it will face down when you flip the dough out to bake.

Common Shaping Problems and Fixes

After Shaping — Cold Proofing

Once shaped and in the banneton, cover with a shower cap or reusable wrap and refrigerate. Cold proofing overnight (8–16 hours) slows fermentation and makes the dough easier to score. It also develops flavour and makes the loaf easier to handle when loading into the Dutch oven. Our cold proofing guide covers timing and how to tell when the shaped loaf is ready to bake.

Scoring After Shaping

Once the shaped loaf comes out of the fridge, it goes straight from banneton to Dutch oven — with a score first. A well-shaped loaf with good surface tension scores cleanly and opens dramatically in the oven. A poorly shaped loaf will resist the blade or blow out unevenly. See our scoring guide for technique, patterns, and the right tool for the job.

What Banneton Shape Should You Use?

Round banneton for boule, oval banneton for batard — the banneton holds the shaped dough and imprints the spiral pattern on the crust. For sizing guidance, hydration considerations, and how to season a new banneton, see our full banneton basket guide. We stock both round and oval bannetons with and without linen liners.

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