High Hydration dough Shaping

High Hydration dough Shaping
The goal of the baker while pre-shaping and shaping is to achieve tension in the dough without damaging the fragile structure obtained from gentle mixing and a long fermentation. This video demonstrates techniques for handling higher hydration doughs without introducing excess flour. A 6-8” bench knife works well for this job.

[@scallen84]

8 years later and this is still one of the best shaping videos on the internet!

[@urbanturbine]

I'm so glad we live in this era where we can learn from masters directly in the comfort of our living room chair. this is fantastic video. I have been struggling with sticky dough while shaping and this gave me so many ideas

[@j.stires]

'cuz in previous eras we learned from Papa at 4am every morning then walked to school uphill in the snow [both ways], shaped and baked the loaves that afternoon as Papa says, "Where you been, huh? I been working dis dough for hours!" Enjoy your hobby.

[@alanhirschman1320]

calvinatorg What a condescending comment. Every dedicated professional baker started with a “hobby.”

[@j.stires]

@@alanhirschman1320 No, some of us learned by working for Papa at the bakery whether we wanted to or not. There's nothing condescending about my remark, I don't have the talent. ask that bear.

[@NicolasEjzenberg]

I agree ! That's amazing what you can learn on youtube !

[@kcbknitter]

@@j.stires I thought your comment was cute. I did not take it as condescending, but just a fact of how some have learned. I learned at home from my mom, so I totally get it.

[@ricardocabezas3728]

My 78 yr old father has been making bread for about 20 years, but has only got into the sourdough and this style in the last 10 or so- all of our friends and family look forward to it every week! - we have a small kitchen, but he manages to get a double batch (which is four loaves at 1.2 kg each) - he likes your videos very much! and he has learned a lot from just this particular video (which has said he has watched over 100 times) for the shaping technique etc.! I’m starting to learn the process from him so I can carry on the tradition when he’s not around anymore. :) So I guess thank you and kudos to you are in order! You rock!

[@menahahnalie8098]

10 or so years? hahah. also how was the sourdough he made? is he still making your family bread?

[@danawhite7052]

This was so clear and so well presented in terms of perferct camera angles and descriptions, with the right amount of repetition - I didn't have to keep stopping and go back, or skip forward. Really well done and helpful, congrats. I've realized how useful a wider bench scraper will be and will be adding that to my sourdough toolchest. :D

[@rogergafner5202]

The thing about breads is that it demonstrates the importance of technique. SFBI is an excellent institution replete with outstandingly good instructors, I recommend attending. I have attended multiple bread making classes from culinary schools, but I liked SFBI the best, I was in the premier class (1996). When I opened my restaurants, I made all the breads, rolls, sticks, and flatbreads that my customers enjoyed; there was a large demand for to-go bread. In addition, I have won multiple competitions in bread making and I owe much of that to the skills I developed at SFBI.

[@cachi-7878]

I've watched this video over and over but it is not until you try yourself you can appreciate how much practice it takes to master these movements. Best video on shaping. Thank you!

[@johnadamczyk6213]

Yeah no kidding...you can watch all the videos in the world but when you actually try it, everything sticks and its a big dough disaster anyway

[@sepalidesilva6175]

This is 2020 lockdown. So many years after you shared this video. I learned so much. Thank you.

[@harvestmoon_autumnsky]

I know...we're all breading it up these days....I'm so glad I saw this. My recipe called for 100 percent hydration starter, which I made, but I didn't realize the dough would then be so soft and sticky. I thought I screwed up somehow.

[@Rob_430]

JennyLS the hydration of your dough isn’t from your starter. Your starter is 20% by weight of the flour. It’s determined by the water flour ratio of your dough. Say you have 500g flour, add 70% water, which is 350g.

[@EA-gx7de]

​@@harvestmoon_autumnsky check out this guy Sourdough Tim and his free course notes in the link in his insta bio, he breaks down how to calculate the hydration. if you're using a 100% hydration starter, and you add 100 grams of it to your dough, 50g of that starter is flour and 50g of it is water. so if you use 300 grams of water in the dough, also consider the 50 grams of water coming from the starter. if you're using 400 grams of flour, remember 50 grams are also coming from the starter in addition the 400. so you actually have 350 grams of water, and 450 grams of flour making this example a 77% hydration flour (350 divided by 450 = 0.77 x 100 = 77%) instagram.com/serious_about_sourdough/?hl=en

[@wrightyy]

Hi from Lockdown 3, 2021.

[@mauricecornforth1233]

2020 "epidemic" scam covering up a massive crisis of overproduction, you mean.

[@sethgilbertson2474]

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this just to develop that intuitive sense of feeling the dough. I’ve been making bread for almost two years and I only feel like I’m just getting started.

[@gringochucha]

I've been making bread pretty intensely for about 11 years and I feel like I'm just starting to learn something... It's a never-ending process, but that's the beauty of it as well.

[@hsun9810]

Can't stop watching this video again and again. Master baker working gracefully on those tricky wet dough, slow-mo, gentle yet firm. Only after people gone through the pain of messy sticky dough on hands will appreciate the kind of skill.

[@campb450]

I've watched this twice and have been startled by the "yay!" at the end each time. Nice teaching. Thanks!

[@majaglitter]

campb450 lmao!

[@realtoast7036]

Hilarious! I just thought the same

[@supercooled]

D&HProductions is that what high hydration nets? Soft inside meat like store bought toast? I like a very airy inside myself.

[@afterthesmash]

Finally a video with a second camera angle on one of the key steps.

[@angelascannell2952]

I've watched this about 7 times--this guy is amazing. How can a normal human handle wet, sticky dough this gently? It's like watching a magic show. He's so young, it seems it'll take me forever to get this good. Brilliant!

[@thingsnbits]

If you think this is noteworthy, I'd advise you to go watch fullproofbaking. She's nuts!

[@mewpilot8742]

Good flour, well developed dough, wet/floured hands. That's it. That's the whole secret to handling wet dough.

[@gringochucha]

@@mewpilot8742 And practice.

[@samiracohen7144]

I love how you show the handling of the dough from different angles. And I love how you slowly and clearly enunciate your words!

[@michaeltheisen7774]

Mac was my instructor for the sourdough course at SFBI. Bravo.

[@evelynwald9132]

This has been so helpful. I have just started working with sourdough bread as a home baker. Even though I am no where near your skill level, you provided me with the best tip ever - the 8 inch plaster knife. I ran out to the hardware store and got one and it has already made my life so much easier already as I have small hands. Thank you so much!!

[@evanroth7938]

Plaster knife is a game-changer!

[@richardharris5336]

That bread looks amazing at the end! This technique is really helpful for handling high hydration dough.

[@gruntqueen]

I really enjoy watching people do things well. It's reassuring for some reason. An excellent demonstration. Thanks.

[@evanbarker5611]

Bread mastery, such a pleasure to watch.

[@primate924]

Gorgeous result. The multiple camera angles on shaping is very helpful. Thank you for posting

[@DebPalmer]

I've just started making Sourdough bread with a starter. A friend shared your video to show me how to shape the bread. This IS the best video I've come across!! I need to get a scraper like yours. Thank you so much for taking things slow, showing a few times at different angles and explaining along the way. You are a good teacher!!

[@sanfranciscobakinginstitut8243]

+Deb Palmer Thank you! You can get one of the "scrapers" at any hardware store.

[@wholeNwon]

That's a wallboard taping knife.

[@TelamonianTeukros]

That's an advanced (and quite impressive) technique for super hydrated bread. Start with 65% - 70% hydration until you're comfortable stretching and folding. Instead of using flour, I use a handy bowl of water. Wet your fingers and the scraper before stretching and folding, then the dough won't stick. Practice stretching and folding and shaping (and slashing) until you're comfortable, then graduate to higher hydration dough. Make sure to autolyze for an hour before incorporating your starter, then for an additional half hour or so before incorporating the salt. You'd be amazed how much of a difference that makes.

[@kcbknitter]

@@TelamonianTeukros I see that this comment is from 2 years ago, but is this for 100% white bread or will this work for whole wheat also? Watching this video, I realize that there is no way I would be able to do that with my dough right now. I use 100% White Whole Wheat (hard spring wheat) I get a good textured bread, but I think I could do better. I think my hydration is about 80 or 90%.

[@wholeNwon]

I've handled high-hydration bread doughs successfully for years but now will modify some of my techniques. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

[@armankamalzadeh8016]

I have watched this video over 10 times! It's beautiful! The skill you use to shape the dough is mesmerising! And thanks to you, after my fourth attempt I succeeded to generate enough structure in my dough and it turned beautiful!

[@justrosy5]

Thank you! I'm just starting to learn how to make sourdough bread, and I appreciate your taking the time to show everyone how this is done!

[@peterswatton7400]

Always nice to watch some one proficient displaying their particular skill. I'll have another try.

[@mickkollins]

Your hand movements as you wield the scraper are in itself a work of a master!

[@jfollas698]

Learning to make sourdough myself. I appreciate how much SKILLS this guy is showing here. He makes it look so easy.

[@allanrussell353]

Its good to be able to watch a craftsman at work, very straight forward with no BS.

[@DANVIIL]

I love this video and if I tasted the bread, I'd love it even more. A master at anything can make it all look so easy! Thanks for the instruction.

[@joelbates6499]

2:55 - 4:55 two minutes of video showed me what I've been questing for a few weeks and many many other demo videos. Bread handling has been an issue for this newbie. Thank you very much for posting this!!

[@eleneethayineka]

I have watched this many times over and love love this lesson!

[@katyingram7457]

Brilliant video and amazing skills! Thanks for taking it slowly and explaining in full.

[@1019caveman]

Since I started making high hydration dough and long proving my bread is off the scale now. People don't believe I made it. The Key is patience and don't mess with it too much. The fold over technique is what all the top bakers are using now. Rather than all the endless needing. Great video by the way, I'm off to the hardware store in the morning for a wide scraper.

[@turtlepowersf]

Mick G i need to try this method. breadtopia has a "no-knead" method which people say has great results. i could not get mine to rise after 3 attempts. good flavor, good crust, but too dense. im down to a 3:1 white to wheat flour but im thinking the wheat flour is preventing it from rising. my starter was strong but still no oven spring.

[@tasosmenelaou4204]

The best video on shaping of bread I have ever seen. The guy is MASTER!!!

[@kimnilsson7501]

Totaly agree. And best thing, now we can learn and become soo muchj better (but not and never, in pair, unfortenately)

[@laura3071934]

I just can't stop watching your video, you are an awesome teacher! thanks for taking the time to show things slowly for us. I've got my taping knife and I'll do my first attempt tomorrow ;) Hands down the very best video on handling wet dough I've seen!

[@DANVIIL]

Awesome demonstration with stunning results!

[@kennethreister7619]

Wow! Absolutely the best sourdough handling video I've seen. Well described. Excellent Instruction. This guy really knows what he's doing and can instruct too.

[@Mikodemuz]

SO mesmerizing and inspiring to watch you work with the dough.

[@apocalypse487]

I've seen several videos of others doing this same process, but nobody shows the techniques with this much detail. Thanks!

[@kberken]

This is amazing. I've been handling bread dough for decades and never saw this technique. I'm doing this from now on. As a matter of fact I've got a batch of dough rising for tomorrow.

[@cozyvamp]

Thanks for this! I haven't baked bread in a long time, and I had to admit that starting with a wet dough is feeling a little intimidating. Watching this demo may just give me back my confidence.

[@simonheape5279]

Brilliant video! Just gotta master the art now!

[@billybass4189]

Awesome instructions, like this technique with absolute minimal handling of the dough.

[@HeartPumper]

Awesome teaching skills! Slow movements with great explaining narrative. I bet, watching you going full speed, would be a jaw dropper :D Plus that plaster scraper - brilliant idea!! Super video, thank you!!!!

[@horaciosalles]

incredibly professional, I've grown to respect the sfbi more and more.

[@danawhite7052]

Oh, and I bought a bench scraper/putty knife like the one in the video, and I have too many sourdough loaves in the freezer so I haven't been able to use it to bake any soudough yet, but we used it when making pastry for homemade chicken pot pies, and it was really helpful with that. Really looking forward to using it the next time I make some sourdough loaves. Brilliant addition to my kitchen toolset.

[@rawmark]

Great video. Thanks for sharing these easy to follow tips.

[@bhuvidya]

All I can say is thank you so much for all your great instructional videos

[@jawtucker]

Watching you handle the dough, is like watching ballet dancing. Your hand movements are so delicate and tuned in handling the bread.

[@Lamppostout]

The Tartine Bread book tries its best to describe the bench knife rounding method, employing words and photos, but I couldn't fully comprehend the technique until I saw your video. It is immensely helpful to watch the way in which you sweep the bench knife up and across the board to rotate the dough, rounding it on each go. Thank you!

[@studentdeljuego]

Most effective technique so far for shaping wet dough.

[@LuckyDragon289]

Had great success employing this method with a no-knead 90% hydration dough. The bench scraper really made all the difference!

[@myworld9746]

New to the whole sourdough process. Having problems with bread falling flat. Will try this method next time. Very clear instructions. Thank you

[@spacial2]

Fabulous. Great demonstration. Clear explanation. Thanks.

[@JR-tq5ck]

Excellent presentation of this technique. Thanks for sharing!

[@beerbaron4997]

Thank you very much for this. Amazingly helpful and well demonstrated.

[@podlak]

The dough is beautiful, and with this awesome technique it almost feels like it's not high hydration :-)

[@belladuong7195]

Great! Thanks a lot for sharing the technique. I've got a great benefit from watching your video.

[@M-a-k-o]

Amazing technique. Thank you for sharing.

[@mnmlst1]

Yaaaaaaay! Loved the ending! Amazing instructional video!!!

[@lynne1146]

Thank you so much, this video helped me a lot. I have for the first time managed to create a lovely high round boule. It has made sense of the two stages too. I was struggling to understand the necessity for pre shape then 2nd final shape this video makes it so clear. It is great to see a professional at work as you handle the dough with such confidence and I think that is key, I was definitely a bit hesitant before.

[@clockent]

How did you perform the final shaping of the boule? Any advice on that?

[@amberle28]

I keep watching this over and over again. It's like bread porn! It's so mesmerizing the way you handle the dough.

[@smallfootprint2961]

This is the best demo of how to handle this dough. I'm going to try. I'll get a ss taping knife, I think. I've tried to find a dough scraper at the store, in my small town with no luck, but the taping knife is a winner... Thanks.

[@marcosavio1020]

So darn professional 😀 beautiful to watch!

[@TheBiancaBrits]

So mesmerising to watch! Great video, thank you for detail

[@michaeld8532]

What a work of art. Beautiful dough at such hydration, and illustrating amazing craftsmanship. Unless you've tried this, no-one will ever know the skill involved here. Thank you for sharing.

[@SuperOldbassman]

Outstanding demo. Thanks!

[@briandaunheimer5556]

Your video just solved a major problem for my attempts at making sourdough bread--actually, several problems I have been having!! Handling this dough has been ridiculously frustrating. Now, I believe I can try it again with some degree of success. I have been using flour on the shaping surface, making it very difficult to shape a loaf. Thank-you!

[@illeanaramirez6964]

Excellent video. I am a home baker, and I have wished to be taught at your baking institute because I have heard it is a wonderful place to learn as it is worldwide recognized. Thank you from Costa Rica.

[@hsun9810]

Wonderful presentation, that must have taken years of practice! You've made everything seem so easy, watching this may greatly boost the confidence among beginners, until they get stuck by all the wet dough on their hands.

[@KarlheinzHanser]

Thank you Maestro! Incredible skills!

[@davidmarshall9982]

Great video Mac, thanks.

[@pourlafamille]

your technique is awesome my friend.

[@TheBERCLAZ]

Great!. Rodrigo Santiago, the best baker we have here, show me this video. Thanks a lot. Marcio - Curitiba -Brazil

[@santiagoabagge]

Márcio Berclaz thanks mate!!!!

[@rbfreund]

Wow, this is a very insightful video. I am a moderately experienced amateur bread maker with around 2000 loaves under my belt in the past 20 years. These were almost exclusively lower hydration, 100% home ground whole wheat, loaf loaves. I thought I was pretty good until having to handle 80% hydration loaves, which pretty much defeated me. I used lots of wet hands but could never get the tension I wanted in the shaping. Decent oven spring, but not what I wanted. This video was eye opening. I just pre-shaped, rested, and shaped two beautiful loaves with the best tension I have ever achieved. Kudos to the baker.

[@growinglongisland]

You make it look so simple your a true professional

[@impaque]

It's... Beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial!

[@scabaco]

Amazing and insightful, thank you very much!

[@ldrobarts]

Great skills and tips! Ty!

[@dantonreims124]

That dough is a thing of beauty!

[@JSTpacek]

i find this video so useful and watch it again and again.

[@taroman7100]

Excellent demo! Thanks💗

[@Summer2loveme]

Ohhhh.... those dough are so adorable... like babies they have to be handled with extreme care!

[@egemveben]

Such a nice informative video!! Thanks for sharing

[@makingiteasywithliz]

I love watching you work, you make look so easy.

[@ColoradoCarnivoreCabinetGuy]

Thank You! Having a blast with my new evenings sport - My own handmade Sourdough Breads!

[@tube4waldek]

The way he shows it, is a poetry for me!

[@geoffreyt706]

Thank you for the demonstartion !

[@marc-andred.galarneau2650]

Very calm and clear. Thank you

[@MsHburnett]

Shaping really makes the finished product god, this really takes practice !

[@TorryNewark]

Superb Instruction! Thank you.

[@flightmasterr231]

Having just tried to do this, I can say this guy is an expert

[@goodnatureart]

great tutorial. thanks for the walk through.

[@Nagsea]

I'm already in the twilight youtube zone... and I love it...

[@capcloud]

I am mind blown by the mastery.

[@ngro5631]

really informative and good explanations, thanks a lot!

[@qwertyismymom]

That was a great video!

[@scottbuss3298]

Brilliant mate. Thank you!

[@evelynwald9132]

Thank you for this video. Today I made a higher hydration sourdough (72%) than I normally use (65%) and used your video as a guide to help shape a wetter bread. I still have a lot of technique to master as I was not as sure footed as you. My dough seemed to stick to the board and my hands a lot more than your dough. I also tried without putting flour down on my board. I was semi successful. It’s in my proofing basket in the refrigerator now and only tomorrow’s bake will show how successful I was. I will be very happy if I achieve that glossy, open crumb interior. The good news is no matter what, the bread will be gone by Sunday, and I will get to make more and practice again. :)

[@evanroth7938]

My dough is a lot stickier than his, too-from the comments, it seems that may boil down to his use of a kneading machine and all-white flour.

[@kennethreister7619]

@@evanroth7938 Try the stretch and fold method if you haven't already. kzbin.info/www/bejne/foG8hX-YiN6Chbc While this video series does include the use of a mixer, the flour is whole wheat. The stretch and fold method will lead to great gluten development.

[@latui7350]

omg I love you. I had the worst experience with a high hydration dough over the weekend. I was definitely not prepared.

[@Rob_430]

This is a great video. I’ve mixed & kneaded dough by hand, and by machine. The dough by machine is better and easier to handle. That amount of dough I can tell was done by mixer.