Final answer:
The statement is false. Refrigeration of dough before shaping can be a critical step in baking, depending on the recipe, to make the dough easier to handle and improve flavor development during a slower fermentation process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'the dough should never be refrigerated before you shape it' is false. Depending on the type of dough and the recipe being used, chilling the dough before shaping it can be an important step.
For instance, in baking, refrigeration can solidify the fat in the dough, making it easier to handle and shape, especially for pastry doughs like those used in pies and cookies.
Chilling can also slow down yeast activity in bread dough, which allows for a slower fermentation process, potentially leading to better flavor development and easier handling of the dough.
Another reason to refrigerate dough is to help prevent over-proofing, where the dough rises too much and becomes too airy, resulting in poor texture. So, in many cases, refrigeration is not only acceptable but advisable. Overall, following the instructions of the specific recipe will yield the best results.