Bread & Dough Techniques

Stretch and Fold / Coil Fold

Also: S&F, stretch-and-fold, coil fold, lamination fold

No-knead gluten development methods applied during bulk fermentation by periodically stretching and folding the dough on itself.

Definition

Stretch and fold and coil fold are two related techniques used to build gluten structure in bread dough during bulk fermentation, replacing or supplementing traditional kneading. Rather than working the dough all at once, these methods interrupt fermentation every 30–45 minutes with brief manipulation sessions, allowing the yeast and bacteria to continue working between folds. In a standard stretch and fold, the baker reaches under one side of the dough in the container, stretches it upward until resistance is felt, then folds it over the top. The container is rotated 90 degrees and the process is repeated — typically four times per set, covering all four cardinal points. Sets are usually performed three to four times during a 3–5 hour bulk ferment. The coil fold, favored for very high-hydration doughs (80%+ hydration), is gentler and preserves the open crumb structure: the baker lifts the dough from underneath at its midpoint, allowing both ends to fall and fold beneath it, then rotates the vessel 90 degrees and repeats. Because the dough is never dragged across the container, less surface tension is disrupted and gas bubbles formed during fermentation are better retained. Both techniques rely on the viscoelastic nature of gluten: stretching aligns protein strands and folding stacks them, progressively increasing dough strength. Observing how the dough changes — from shaggy and extensible early in bulk to pillowy and resistant later — tells the baker when gluten development is sufficient and bulk fermentation is nearly complete.

In use

“After mixing, she set the dough aside for 30 minutes, then performed the first set of stretch and folds, rotating the bowl a quarter turn between each fold until she felt the dough tighten satisfyingly against her hands.”

References

1.Flour Water Salt Yeast — Ken Forkish (Ten Speed Press, 2012)
2.Tartine Bread — Chad Robertson (Chronicle Books, 2010)
3.The Perfect Loaf — Maurizio Leo (Clarkson Potter, 2022)

Confidence: high

Notes

Choosing between methods

Stretch and fold works well for doughs from roughly 70–78% hydration. Coil folds are preferable above 80%, where the dough is too slack and sticky to handle easily in a bowl; lifting from underneath avoids tearing and keeps the dough's airy internal structure intact.

Reading dough strength

After the first set, dough that holds its shape in the container rather than spreading flat signals adequate early gluten. By the final set, properly developed dough will domed slightly, feel airy rather than dense, and release cleanly from wet hands — signs that bulk fermentation can be allowed to complete undisturbed.