Shaping Finger Buns for Perfect Proportions

Achieving the ideal finger bun shape requires balancing length, width, and height. The transcripts reveal this challenge: 'Long and thin, and they won't have the height the judges expect. But short and fat, and they'll lack that classic elegant finger shape.' Aaron worked by 'folding them in to get the ball from here. I'll roll it out into fingers.' The bakers consistently worried about proportions, with Jasmine noting 'Mine feels so fat' and Tom observing his buns were 'nowhere near as domed as they should be.' For home bakers, divide your dough into equal portions by weight, then shape each piece into a ball before rolling into an elongated shape approximately four to five inches long. Place shaped buns with enough space between them on the baking sheet to allow for expansion during the second proof and baking, ensuring they maintain their elegant finger shape rather than spreading too wide.