How to Stretch and Fold Sourdough

Want to improve your sourdough bread loaves? The stretch and fold methods gently develops natural gluten, building a strong elastic dough that traps lovely air bubbles, for a wonderful rise!

achieving that perfect sourdough rise requires a special technique: the stretch and fold. Don't worry... it's a simple method with a big impact. Let's dive into stretch and folds and transform your sourdough bread or sourdough dinner rolls!

How it Works

Sourdough relies on the natural actions of flour and water, combined with wild yeast. This sourdough starter produces lactic acid, which gives sourdough its signature tang. But the flour itself contains gluten, a protein network that gives bread its structure.

Stretch and folds gently develop this existing gluten, building a strong and elastic dough that can trap those lovely air bubbles, for a beautiful rise!

How to Stretch & Fold Sourdough

Now, for the fun part! Here's how to perform a stretch and fold:

Wet Those Hands: Sourdough dough can be sticky, so dampen your hands with a little water to prevent tearing.

Reach, Stretch, and Fold: Gently reach into your dough container, grab a side, and stretch it upwards. Imagine stretching a piece of taffy.

Fold it Inward: Now, gently fold that stretched dough back onto the center of the mass.

Repeat and Rotate: Repeat this process for each of the four sides of the dough, like turning the pages of a book. After each fold, rotate the container by 90 degrees.

Frequency

The number of stretch and folds you perform depends on your dough and your schedule. You'll do sets of stretch and folds throughout the "bulk fermentation" stage, when the dough is initially rising.

For high-hydration doughs (wetter and more slack), folds might be done every 30 minutes to an hour. Drier doughs benefit from longer rest periods, so space your folds out by 1-2 hours.

Tips & Troubleshooting

Is your dough sticking like crazy? Wet your hands a little more!

Feeling frustrated? Don't panic, a gentle touch and a bit of patience are key. As you perform the folds, you'll witness the transformation. The dough will become smoother, puffier, and more aerated with each stretch and fold set!

Embrace the Folds!

Stretch and folds are a fundamental technique in artisan sourdough bread baking. With this stretch and fold method, you'll get a beautiful rise, and a light and airy crumb!