Shape the dough into a loaf. To do so, lightly punch down the dough. Press the dough into a thick rectangle about 20 cm – 8 inches long. Now fold the bottom third of the dough over itself (like a letter) and then fold the top of the dough down to overlap the other layers and pinch it closed with your fingers (on all sides). Roll the loaf over so that the seam is down, then fold the 2 sides and tuck them underneath. Now gently put the loaf into the pan. The seams should be on the bottom with the tight surface facing up.
Cover with lightly greased cling wrap and let rise until doubled and the dough has risen about 2.5 cm – 1 inch above the top rim of the pan, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Bake the bread in a pre-heated oven at 180°C – 350°F for 30-35 minutes until golden and baked through.
The bread can be stored at room temperature, covered in a bread bag, for a couple days, or frozen for up to a month or so.
Use the flour amount in the recipe as a guideline. The exact amount of flour you use will depend on how you measure flour, the climate and temperature where you live (humidity can be a factor), and several other things. Add flour gradually until the texture of the dough is soft, smooth, and only just slightly tacky to the touch.