Hi everyone... I recently picked up the Tartine Bread book, country artisan bread is my favorite and I'm working on working the process to my schedule.  Very simplified, with an active starter, this is how I breakdown the major steps in Chad Robertson's process:

1. Create leaven from starter
2. Mix dough and rest/autolyse, then add salt + some water
3. Bulk fermentation (3-4 hours at warm ambient temperature); during bulk fermentation do stretch-and-fold about ever 30 minutes for the first 2-3 hours
4. Divide, form into rounds, bench rest
5. Form final loaf shapes, proofing/final-rise (3-4 hours)
6. Bake, rest, eat

In trying to tailor this to my schedule, I understand that I can retard the final-rise in the fridge, then take it out of the fridge to warm up a little bit, and then into the oven for baking... but the book also suggests retarding during bulk fermentation.

I think in my ideal schedule, I'd like to mix the leaven on day-1 morning, and then begin bulk fermentation during the evening and let it go the night (to be followed with day-2 final-rise/proofing and baking).  I understand I can bulk-ferment with cooler water, or even stick the dough in the fridge to retard the process (what I'd likely do).  My question is where/when does the S&F fit into this?  Especially if I should do this every 30 minutes for a few hours... is the need minimized with the longer fermentation?  Do I need to do this just a few times before setting aside for colder longer fermentation?  S&F a few times, instead, before dividing into rounds and bench rest?

Thanks!!!

-Nico

This may well be a no-brainer, but I have to ask.  Before I came to this forum I only kneaded my dough.  I discovered the various stretch-and-fold techniques, watched the videos and read quite a few post threads.  Over the following months I tried this method.  But I fail to see any major benefits or even much of a difference.

So, is the "stretch-and-fold" just a substitute for kneading?  Or is it actually better is some way?  I enjoy kneading: I find it relaxing in a unique way.  Or am I not performing the folding process properly?

I would appreciate further clarification here.

TIA.

I'm a little confused on whether or not I'm supposed to try to keep the degas my dough. I've also sometimes got the impression that i'm supposed to take out just "some" bubbles. Anyways, I'm really confused. When I stretch & fold, I usually do it really gently and fold in all four sides, without trying to pop bubbles.

Anyways, if someone could explain when to degas, and how much to degas , that would be really helpful.

-Paul (Paul Paul etc. etc.)

I am using Floyd's Whole Wheat bread recipe on the site and it says to stretch and fold 2-3 times during bulk rising. Does that mean during the 60-90 minute rise I am to interrupt it and fold the dough every 20-30 minutes and if not, what is the technique?

Thank you for your help. :)

what? Is a bulk ferment necessary? For sourdough, I do a Stretch and Fold about every 45 minutes for a totlal of three or four S&Fs. With yeasted doughs, it's usually a total of three S&Fs at 20 minute intervals. At this point, I just shape the dough , let rise and bake. Would a bulk ferment after the final S&F be beneficial?

Larry

I have a few questions about strech and folding.

1. For whole wheat sourdough how much time should be allowed between foldings?

2. Should my dough pass a window pane test if I am folding instead of kneading?

3. Can any recipe adapted to strech and fold?  If so does all the streching and foldinf and resting time create a problem of ovr proofing if I add in enough time for a good rise?  Will the yeasts be over popullating the dough by the time it rises if I take the time to strech and fold it over a period of 3 hours instead of a straight kneading which would take 20 min.? 

I'm curious as to when this technique was developed, and how long it took to become widely known - at least among the bread baking world.  Any ideas?

Found video clips of stretch and folding dough and seeing how the dough develops through this method.

 http://www.sourdoughhome.com/stretchandfold.html

Hello All

I my attempt to nail down the fine details of bread baking I may have been missing I have a few questions.

I have been streching and folding my doughs since I read Hammelmans book.  It is hard to believe the changes that 3 folds can impart on dough.  My question is how far do you all stretch the dough during this process?  The first fold is always pretty sloppy and easy to stretch compaired to the last few folds.