We use a technique called “The stretch and fold technique”. It was developed by Chad Robertson, an American baker at Tartine, a legendary bakery in San Francisco. An important factor is that it builds strength in the dough without the need to knead. Tartine would serve bread with extreme hydration, but it is impossible to knead a wet soup. How to build strength in the dough? Stretch and folds
As mentioned we do this to develop gluten and firms up the dough without a lot of mixing or any kneading. But most importantly, it develops the gluten to trap gases from fermentation. The process opens the crumb and makes a light and airy loaf.
Flour is made up of starch and protein. When it is hydrated with water, the starch and proteins absorb the water and swell. The proteins form connected chains that constitute the structure of the dough, which is developed by stretching and folding the dough as you give it turns during the bulk fermentation. The resulting tiny air pockets form the base cell structure of the crumb. They fill with gas during the bulk rise and expand during baking to create an open-textured crumb.
The low-acid/high-hydration approach …necessitates a lengthy bulk fermentation during which the structure of the dough is developed by turning the dough in its container. With each turn, the strength of the dough increases exponentially. Turns should be more vigorous at the start of the bulk fermentation and gentle toward the end so as not to deflate any trapped gas that is leavening the dough.
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Why do we strecth