This is the most complete tutorial on how you shape sourdough bread, step by step so that you can follow easily. You will mater 2 techniques - beginner and then advanced. The methods also work for yeast based doughs.

So what exactly is shaping and when is it done? After pre-shaping or directly after bulk fermenting you want to shape your bread into the final form it should have after the bake. A very tight shaping means that your dough holds together very well and thus it will be able to hold its shape during the baking stage. You will likely have more oven spring. You are basically glueing the dough together with each movement of your hands.

Only during shaping stage you want to add some flour to your surface. For pre-shaping no flour is needed. Flip your dough upside down and then follow the instructions in this video. Be very gentle with your dough all the time. You want to use as little water as possible.

If you want to shape a batard, simply go with method one. Do not tuck the dough together like I did in the end.

Now if this does not work it could be that you over-fermented your dough, or you used too much water for your flour. Many reasons. This happens to me to and what I then do is, I just take the dough and toss it into a loaf pan. That saved me many breads.

Side note - when making pizza, this is in excellent way to shape your dough into pizza balls. I like to do it this way, since the method is very gentle, making sure your pizza is not degassed.

Flour I am using:
Blog article on different flours in Germany: https://thbrco.io/blog-flour
Drax Mühle Manitoba flour 14% protein: https://thbrco.io/drax-flour
For ze Germans - T550 at Rewe 11-12% protein: https://thbrco.io/rewe-aurora
Mulino Padano 15% protein: https://thbrco.io/mulino-flour
Strong whole wheat flour: https://thbrco.io/whole-wheat-flour

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Tools:
Banneton proofing basket (25cm length, 15cm width, 8.5cm height): https://thbrco.io/banneton
Cooling rack: https://thbrco.io/cooling-rack
Digital kitchen scale: https://thbrco.io/kitchen-scale
Dough scraper: https://thbrco.io/dough-scraper
Dutch oven for batards (Challenger Bread Pan): https://thbrco.io/dutch-oven-batards
Dutch oven round (Lodge): https://thbrco.io/dutch-oven-round
Dutch oven with glas lid (Brovn) - BREADCODE = 5% off: https://thbrco.io/dutch-oven-glas-lid
Infrared thermometer: https://thbrco.io/infared-meter
Loaf pan (30cm length x 12cm width x 9cm height): https://thbrco.io/loaf-pan-regular
Loaf pan with lid (34cm length, 13cm width, 12cm height): https://thbrco.io/loaf-pan-lid
No stick spray (vegetable based): https://thbrco.io/non-stick-spray
Oven gloves: https://thbrco.io/oven-gloves
pH meter to check acidity: https://thbrco.io/ph-meter
Weck starter jars: https://thbrco.io/weck-jars

Useful videos:
Debaked ep. 1 - Pizza journey to Napoli: https://thbrco.io/debaked-napoli
Debaked ep. 2 - Journey to a flour mill: https://thbrco.io/debaked-flour-mill
Discard starter bread: https://thbrco.io/discard-starter-bread
Fermentation time table: https://thbrco.io/fermentation-time-t...
Make a sourdough starter: https://thbrco.io/make-sourdough-starter
Make your starter more active: https://thbrco.io/more-active-starter
Recommend sourdough bread recipe: https://thbrco.io/sourdough-recipe

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:14 Preparing the Banneton with rice flour
2:40 Easy technique
5:40 Advanced technique
7:06 Tightening the dough