1. For a perfectly round freeform loaf, lightly flour work surface. Shape dough into a rough ball. Using both hands, pull sides of dough underneath ball, tucking ends underneath. Keep repeating motion and dough will come together into a tight, smooth round with no visible creases or joins.
2. Put on a floured baking tray and cover in cling film to prove.
3. Before baking, sprinkle with flour and create further shape by slashing top with a cross shape to stop crust cracking.
4. Bread rolls can be made using same technique as loaves. Cut dough into equal roll sized pieces and tuck underside into itself, smoothing top and sides at same time as turning. Cover each roll in cling film once shaped, to prevent drying out whilst making others.
5. Alternatively, mould into a rough ball with hands, then put on worktop and press down flat under palm. Roll in a circular motion, gradually cupping hand so dough forms into a ball underneath. Leave on a floured tray covered in cling film to prove.
6. To make a simple plaited loaf, divide dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into fairly thick ropes of equal length.
What to read next
7. Lay 3 pieces lengthways. Pinch them together at top to secure them, then plait them together: take right piece over middle piece, then left piece over middle piece. Repeat all way down bread and secure bottom. Tuck both ends under so bread holds its shape whilst proving and baking.
Use your skills to make these triple-tested recipes:
The perfect soda bread recipe
Ham and mustard bread and butter bake recipe
Luxury bread sauce recipe
Pro Chef’s knife, Zwilling J.A. Henckels. Chopping board, baking tray, chef's own.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
