In an attempt to improve the taste and look of my breads, I have read all the blogs I could find in French and in English. I have taken on board the advice about sponge and preferment, about overnight rest, about autolyse, about folding... and still I cannot produce a dough which does stick to the worktop and does not spread in the oven.

I have stuck to one recipe in an effort to gauge any improvement after making changes and my bread does tastes better than it used to, but I cannot get the dough out of the mixing bowl or lift it off the work surface without it sticking to my hands, no matter how long I rest it. I have to sprinkle flour on the surface just to pat it and when I try to fold it, the underside sticks to my hands like glue. As I cannot fold it, I cannot find a way to give it a tight skin and it spreads out almost as soon as I turn it out of the floured linen basket.

This is the recipe I use [1] and I make 2 batard-shaped loaves (I hesitate to call them batards, as they flatten so much on the tray). I use a KitchenAid to mix the flour and water to the sponge and rest it 30mn before adding the yeast and salt. I then mix for 2mn on speed 2 before resting it. I have tried to rest it in the bowl, out of the bowl, still it sticks like glue as soon as I touch it. I have tried wet hands, damp hands, lightly floured hands, still it sticks like glue.

It is very disheartening and I am on the verge of giving up...