Bread in short stages with frequent pauses?

Toast

Hanging around with you inspiring TFLers has turned me into a serious (OK, obsessive) bread-head, and I just know that you’ll be able to crack this conundrum for me. 

How can I make bread in short stages with frequent pauses?  Recent illness has left me with limited mobility and stamina, and slightly compromised sight, so I’m looking for a simple, flexible, forgiving method that produces a tasty, open crumbed, crusty loaf.

My first thoughts are that yeast might be a more forbearing leaven than sourdough starter, and that the fridge might be my friend on this adventure, but can I refrigerate twice (bulk ferment and shaped)?  And if I can, how would it impact the proof, and the %age yeast and water?  And what if I need to refrigerate for a couple of days before baking? 

Do you think an all-in-one dough might deliver, maybe with an autolyse but no pre-ferment or manual gluten development? (I have a mixer).  And are some flours more tolerant than others? (I’ve white, whole-wheat, rye and spelt).

 

Any thoughts or advice before I jump in on this next stage of my big bread adventure?

I have a bad back and am a total stretch-and-fold convert.  I learned how from this site: https://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=stretchandfold

I adapt any and all bread recipes to stretch-and-fold with great results.  Only the wettest ciabatta dough is too awkward to use this method.  For that or really wet rye dough, I just use a spoon to do the equivalent of a stretch and fold with a spoon in the bowl.  I'm pretty much finding you can always replace manipulation (kneading) with time and periodic stretching and folding.  

Dear Cellarvie.

I mix my bread -wait 15-30 minutes and do one fold and stretch and pop it into my frig in an oiled bowl for autolayze usually overnight.  After I divide into loaves, place in bannetons and proof another 2 hours. It breaks it up a good bit.  I had some medical issues last August and had little energy but I'm a breaded as well and I was able to motivate myself to make bread and get very nice compliments from people I give it to.  I healed enough to bake 16 loaves for the Church Choir at Christmas so I guess it was good therapy.

 

Good luck with your recovery and baking,

 

BigCrusty 

That simple is just what I'm after, thank you BigCrusty, for the method and the motivation.  I feel a weekend bake coming on.