How long to slap and fold dough?

Slap and fold dough typically takes 3 to 10 minutes, but the exact time varies; it's done until the dough transforms from shaggy to smooth, elastic, and strong enough to hold its shape, often in sets with rest periods for wet doughs like sourdough, requiring less time for high-protein flour and more for whole wheat or high-hydration doughs, notes The Perfect Loaf and Reddit users.

How long does it take to slap and fold?

This is highly dependent on the dough (the flour itself and the hydration) you're working with, and your effectiveness in the technique, but a good rule for me is somewhere around 3-6 minutes to yield a dough that usually requires 1-3 sets of stretch and folds during bulk to finish strengthening.

How many times should I slap and fold bread?

I aggressively stretch and fold the first one, and get progressively more gentle with each one. I usually do 4, occasionally 5, depending on how fast my dough is bulk fermenting. More than that I think I'd be hurting it more than helping.

Can you over slap and fold sourdough?

You cannot overmix sourdough when mixing by hand so go ahead and try some slap and folds. Not only will it supercharge your gluten but it will also supercharge your shoulders!

Do I have to wait 30 minutes between stretch and folds?

No, stretch and folds don't have to be exactly 30 minutes apart; it's a common guideline for gluten relaxation, but the ideal time (ranging from 15 to 60+ minutes) depends on your dough, temperature, and hydration, with a focus on watching the dough's feel (when it's relaxed enough to stretch without tearing) rather than strictly adhering to the clock. A 30-minute interval is typical for many recipes, allowing the gluten to rest, but you can adjust based on whether your dough is slack (shorter rests) or tight (longer rests). 

Slap and Fold Tutorial (Kneading high-hydration dough)

How to tell if you've done enough stretch and folds?

You know stretch and folds are done when the dough passes the windowpane test, meaning you can stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it without tearing, and it holds its shape with a taut, bubbly surface for 30-40 minutes after the last fold, indicating good gluten development and strength.
 

What is the biggest mistake beginners make with sourdough bread?

The biggest mistake beginners make with sourdough is not using a strong, mature starter, leading to dense loaves, often combined with impatience and ignoring key factors like fermentation cues (not time, but rise/poke test), proper hydration (too much water too soon), and heat/steam. They often rush the process, failing to build enough starter strength or understand when the dough is truly ready to shape and bake.
 

Do you wet your hands for stretch and folds?

Pro tip: Wet hands make stretch and folds a lot less sticky! Spray your hands 🙌🏼 with a little water, it's a game changer. To do a stretch and fold, reach down into the bowl, grab the dough, stretch it up, and fold it right over itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.

When to use slap and fold technique reddit?

The first 60-90 minutes after adding yeast, max. You autolyze before adding the yeast, but don't do slap n fold after the first hour plus to avoid the tears. 3-4 rounds of 12 slap/folds, every 15 minutes in that first hour will be great for most bread doughs.

What should my dough look like after stretch and folds?

After stretch and folds, dough should transform from sticky and shapeless to smooth, taut, and elastic, holding a rounded shape and showing some bubbles, with increasing resistance to stretching as gluten develops and the dough passes the "windowpane test" (stretching thin without tearing). It should feel stronger and less sticky with each round, developing structure and tension. 

How do you know when your sourdough is kneaded enough?

Windowpane Test for Dough

The second way to check if your dough has been kneaded long enough is something called the windowpane test. Tear off a small piece of the dough, and stretch it out until you can see some light coming through it. (Just hold it up to a light or a window.)

What's the best time to stretch and fold?

Stretch and folds are completed in sets. The first set is usually done about 30 minutes into the bulk rise. Then, you'll complete up to 4 additional sets spaced about 15 minutes to 1 hour apart, depending on the dough's flexibility and your own personal baking schedule.

When to stop slap and folds?

Once the dough has been kneaded to its full potential, with a well-developed gluten structure, it's best to avoid further slaps and folds. Pushing beyond this point risks overworking the gluten, resulting in unwanted stretch marks in the dough and messing up the texture we want.

Is 2 hours too long for dough to rise?

Yes, you can let dough rise for 2 hours, and it's a common timeframe for the first rise (bulk fermentation) for many bread and pizza recipes, often resulting in a good texture and flavor development, though actual time varies with room temperature, yeast amount, and recipe. Expect it to rise until doubled in size, which might be less in a warm kitchen or longer in a cool one. 

Can you stretch and fold sourdough too much?

Yes, you can stretch and fold sourdough too much, which overworks the gluten, makes the dough tough, tears the structure, and can lead to a dense, gummy loaf by degassing it and hindering rise and oven spring. You should stop when the dough holds its shape well, doesn't stretch much, and shows signs of being bubbly and strong, typically after 3-4 sets during bulk fermentation.
 

What does overproofed sourdough loaf look like?

Overproofed sourdough looks flat, deflated, and disorganized, with a structure that can't hold its shape, often appearing slack, sticky, and stringy, smelling strongly of alcohol; the dough won't spring back when poked and may collapse entirely, leading to a dense, pancake-like loaf with a poor crust when baked.
 

What happens if you don't stretch and fold?

Doing stretch and folds or a few kneads after the rising started will strengthen your gluten, but it's not an absolutely necessary step, especially if you plan to bake in a loaf pan.

Why is my sourdough bread super sticky after bulk fermentation?

Sometimes your dough gets extra sticky because it's over-fermented, you used a high hydration recipe (that means lots of water 💧), maybe the flour isn't absorbing as well as it should, or even because the dough got too warm.

What are the signs of overproofed dough?

You can tell dough is overproofed if it's very sticky, lacks structure, deflates when poked (the dent stays), smells strongly fermented (like an overfed starter), and won't hold its shape, leading to a flat, dense, or gapped loaf after baking. The key test is the poke test: a dent made with a finger stays put instead of slowly filling in, because the gluten structure has weakened.
 

How do you know if you've done enough stretch and folds?

You know stretch and folds are done when the dough passes the windowpane test, meaning you can stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it without tearing, and it holds its shape with a taut, bubbly surface for 30-40 minutes after the last fold, indicating good gluten development and strength.
 

What does the Bible say about sourdough?

Sourdough, or leaven (yeast starter), appears in the Bible primarily as a metaphor for spiritual concepts like corruption (sin) or growth (the Kingdom of God), seen in parables (Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:21) and warnings (1 Corinthians 5:7), contrasting with the unleavened bread (matzah) required during Passover to remember the hurried Exodus from Egypt. While ancient Israelites used leaven for daily bread, its presence in scripture often symbolizes something hidden, spreading, or needing removal. 

Why is everyone suddenly making sourdough bread?

Sourdough is trending due to a combination of the pandemic-fueled home baking boom, a cultural shift towards traditional/homesteading lifestyles, and growing interest in gut health, all amplified by social media platforms like {!nav}TikTok and {!nav}Instagram. People enjoy the science, control over ingredients, potential cost savings, and the "health halo" that comes from its natural fermentation, which can make it easier to digest and more nutritious than standard bread.
 

What is the 1:1:1 rule for sourdough?

For instance, a 1:1:1 ratio means using equal parts by weight of starter, flour, and water. Example feeding ratios expressed in ratios and how they could be expressed in weight: 1:1:1 Ratio: 50g starter, 50g flour, 50g water.

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