Stretch & Fold
Stretch and fold is a gentle way to build strength in wet doughs during bulk fermentation: lift one side of the dough, stretch it upward, fold it over itself, rotate the bowl and repeat. Spread across the bulk rise, these brief rounds develop gluten as effectively as kneading — without tearing a delicate, high-hydration dough.
Builds on
What it is
Instead of one intensive kneading session up front, stretch and fold spaces the work out through bulk fermentation. Each round is quick: with wet hands, stretch a portion of the dough upward until it resists, fold it over the centre, turn the bowl and continue around. Between rounds, the dough simply rests and ferments — time does much of the gluten development for you.
Why it suits wet doughs
Very wet doughs — the kind behind open-crumbed sourdough and ciabatta — are too slack and sticky to knead conventionally; they smear across the counter and glue themselves to your hands. Folding in the bowl aligns the gluten with almost no mess, and its gentleness preserves the fermentation gases already forming, keeping the developing crumb structure intact.
How to read the dough
The transformation is visible round by round: a slack, shaggy puddle gradually becomes smoother, springier and better at holding a mound instead of flattening out. When the dough stretches without tearing and feels alive under your hands, it has the strength it needs — the windowpane test works here too. If it resists strongly mid-round, stop and let it relax; forcing a tight dough tears the very network you're building.
At Love Made Edible
Our sourdough loaves are strengthened entirely by hand with stretch and folds through the bulk rise — it's how a wet dough becomes an airy, open crumb.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What does stretch and fold do to dough?
Each stretch aligns and layers the gluten strands, and each rest lets them relax and knit further. Repeated through bulk fermentation, this builds the same elastic strength as kneading, but gently — which matters for wet doughs that would tear or smear under conventional kneading.
Is stretch and fold better than kneading?
Neither is better — they suit different doughs. Firm, moderate doughs knead easily and quickly. Very wet doughs are nearly impossible to knead on a counter, so folding in the bowl is the practical route, and its gentleness helps preserve the open, airy crumb those breads are prized for.
How do I know when to stop doing folds?
Watch the dough, not a count: when it holds its shape in the bowl, feels springy and stretches thin without tearing, it has enough strength. From there, let the rest of bulk fermentation proceed undisturbed so the gas structure you've protected can keep building.
Tastethetechnique
Everything in our kitchen is baked fresh to order — eggless and vegan variants available.