How to Stretch and Fold the dough for Sourdough Bread

How to stretch and fold the dough for sourdough bread with a step-by-step video guide.

What is stretch and fold

The stretch and fold method helps develop the gluten in the dough and strengthens high hydration doughs. When making sourdough, the initial dough is very sticky and shaggy. This is because it has high hydration. By doing stretch and fold of the dough for sourdough bread at regular intervals, the dough develops good strength. You will be able to see the difference in the dough with every stretch and fold, with a sticky messy dough turning into a well-formed dough. To put it in simple words, we need to stretch the dough out and fold it onto itself. Every cycle of stretch and fold must be done at an interval of 20-30 minutes. The stretch and fold itself should not take more than a minute.

I aim to perform six sets of stretching and folding at an interval of 20 to 30 minutes. To perform stretch and hold, wet your hands. Gently loosen the dough from all sides of the bowl. Grab a portion of the dough and slowly stretch it taking care not to break it and fold it towards the center over the dough. Keep turning the bowl and repeat the process until all parts of the dough are covered. Carefully flip the dough and round it up. Cover and let it rest until it is time for the next set of stretch and fold.

See video

This method can be used to handle dough for any sourdough bread. See the video below to see how stretch and fold are done. Check out how the dough changes as we progress with stretch and fold.

Recipe card

How to stretch and fold dough for sourdough bread

Shilpa

The stretch and fold method helps develop the gluten in the dough and strengthen high hydration doughs.

5 from 1 vote

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Course Others

Cuisine All

Prep Time 5 mins

Resting Time 3 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 5 mins

Ingredients

  

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• Dough to make sourdough bread

Instructions

 

• To perform stretch and hold, wet your hands
• Gently loosen the dough from all sides of the bowl
• Grab a portion of the dough and slowly stretch it taking care not to break it and fold it towards the center over the dough
• Keep turning the bowl and repeat the process until all parts of the dough are covered
• Carefully flip the dough and round it up. Cover and let it rest until it is time for the next set of stretch and fold
• Repeat 4-6 times at intervals of 20-30 minutes or until the dough reaches a good strength

Video

Nutrition Facts

How to stretch and fold dough for sourdough bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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