Do you shape bread before or after it's risen?

[Scootergrrrl]

Am total novice and don't know. I have a nasty feeling if I do it at the wrong time, it'll all go horribly wrong though.

I shape mine then leave it to rise somewhere warm

You let it rise once in a big blob for a long time, then knead it again to get rid of big bubbles, shape it and let it rise again for a short time.

Thank you - will send out some virtual warm chocolate rolls when it's done. And how hot does the oven have to be?

[clueless]

whatever the recipe says??

Ah, the RECIPE! I'm sure it must say on there

I've got that instant yeast - does that make any difference? (note to self - think these things through before saying in manner of jolly Fanous Five mummy "yes darling, of course we can make bread.....)

I always use the instant yeast in sachets, Scootergrrrl. Flour/salt/yeast in bowl, stir throughly, add the oil and tepid water and mix to dough and pray the phone doesn't ring for the next quarter of an hour.

My greatest faux pas of all time was when serving guests my lovely bread and we were discussing the methods of making it. This was in the early days when the recipe I followed involved rubbing in the fat which was time consuming and I shared this as it dawned on me that I had used lard. They were vegetarians...........