Techniquebeginnerdraft
Stretch and fold
Also searched as: stretch and fold, folding, coil fold
In short: During the first prove, lift the dough a few times and fold it over itself. That strengthens the network without kneading.
Picture it
Like a towel folded several times: each layer lines up the fibres a little more.
What happens
Stretching pulls the in one direction and lines them up. Folding stacks them in layers. After a few rounds with rests, the dough is smooth and taut and the gas bubbles are preserved.
How it’s done
Sequence · Step 1 of 5
Wet your hands.
All steps as a list
- Wet your hands.
- Lift the dough on one side and fold it to the middle.
- Turn the bowl and repeat all the way round.
- Rest for 30 minutes.
- 3–4 rounds, until the dough is taut.
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Brot, Getreide