How to shape your dough

Shaping helps to stretches the top of your dough and trap air as the yeast ferments.

Here's what you need to do:

1. When you're ready to shape your dough, turn it upside down and flatten out the dough

2. Lift the top half, stretch upwards and fold back down on itself

3. Lift the bottom half, stretch upwards and fold back down on itself

4. Lift the top thirds from either side, stretch upwards and fold towards the middle

5. Lift the bottom thirds from either side, stretch upwards and fold towards the middle

6. Lift the middle third from either side, stretch upwards and fold towards the middle

7. Flip the dough over and roll toward yourself 

8. Rotate 90 degrees and roll towards yourself

9. Rotate another 90 degrees and roll towards yourself

If your dough is fermenting well, you might even notice some air bubbles forming as you stretch the top of your dough like here: