The importance of stretch & folds or coil folds for great bread

If you’ve ever wondered how a few gentle folds can transform sticky dough into a tall, airy loaf, this post is for you.

I’m going to share what I’ve learned along my sourdough journey—lessons from many talented bakers I follow, as well as hard-earned experience running Leaf & Loaf, my little home bakery.

In this post, I’ll walk you through what folds are, why they work, the different ways to do them, when to use each, and clear timing guidelines—including when not to fold.

What are folds?

In bread baking, folds are manipulations of dough during bulk fermentation. Instead of kneading intensively, bakers periodically lift and tuck the dough onto itself. Each fold develops gluten strength gradually while letting fermentation continue undisturbed. Think of them as mini-kneads spread across the rise—a way to create structure without exhausting the dough or the baker.

Why do folds matter? Biology chat

Gluten is the protein network that gives wheat dough its unique strength and stretch. It forms when two proteins in flour—gliadin and glutenin—absorb water during mixing and begin bonding together. The more they’re hydrated and worked, the more these proteins link into long, stretchy chains. This network traps gases from fermentation, turning flour and water into a dough that can rise instead of collapse.

Folds help on several fronts:

1. Gluten alignment and layering
   Hydrated gluten proteins (gliadin + glutenin) form a web. A fold stretches and lays those strands in the same direction, then stacks layers. Repeating this creates an orderly, load-bearing network that retains gas and holds shape.

2. Elastic pre-tension
   A stretch temporarily “pre-loads” gluten like a rubber band. After a short rest, gluten relaxes, new bonds form, and the dough becomes ready for the next stretch—so strength compounds over multiple sets.

3. Gas management
   Fermentation produces CO₂ that inflates the pockets of air created during the mixing step. Folds gently redistribute that gas: giant pockets are subdivided, weak zones get support, and overall bubble size becomes more uniform. You preserve enough gas for openness without ending up with cavern caves next to dense patches.

4. Microbe redistribution & temperature equalization
   Folding redistributes the sourdough microbes (yeast + lactic acid bacteria) so that all microbes have access to all available fresh nutrients, which keeps fermentation consistent. At the same time, folding helps balance temperature throughout the dough mass, helping it ferment evenly from top to bottom.

5. Flavor protection

   A good, but not to intense, initial mix followed by gentle folding builds strength without over-aerating, avoiding excessive oxidation (which can happen when dough is mixed intensely using a mechanical mixer). With less oxidation, pigments and aromatic compounds are preserved, giving the crumb a creamier color and a fuller flavor. Folding stretches and layers dough that’s already fermenting rather than beating air into it. The result is a strong gluten network with minimal oxygen exposure—and bread that keeps its golden color and grain-forward taste.

6. Tuning extensibility vs. elasticity
   Great dough is both stretchable and springy. Each fold nudges the balance toward strength and each rest restores some extensibility. With timing, you steer the dough to that sweet spot: strong enough to stand tall, relaxed enough to expand.

Stretch & Fold vs. Coil Fold vs. Slap & Fold: Which Should You Use?

In sourdough bread baking, stretch & fold, coil fold, and slap & fold are three different techniques that strengthen dough during fermentation. All three build gluten, but each one shines in particular situations. Below, I’ll define each method, explain how to perform it, and highlight when to use it.

Stretch & Fold (S&F)

Definition: A gentle technique where the dough is stretched and folded over itself to gradually build gluten.

How to perform: Wet your hand, lift one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it down over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until all four sides are folded. That’s one set. Rest the dough before repeating.

When to use:

• Works best for moderate hydration doughs (about 65–75%).

• Convenient for single-loaf or small home batches.

• Builds strength quickly in just a few sets.

• Allows a little degassing, which helps create a more even, uniform crumb.

Coil Fold (CF)

Definition: An extra-gentle folding method that relies on lifting the dough from the middle and letting the ends tuck underneath, creating a “coil.”

How to perform: Slide your hands under the middle of the dough, lift until one end drops under and folds beneath. Then repeat for the other end. Rotate and repeat as needed until the dough stacks up into a domed coil.

When to use:

• Best for high-hydration, slack doughs (75%+).

• Preserves gas bubbles, leading to a more open crumb.

• Great for delicate or fragile doughs that need gentle handling.

• Scales well for larger batches in tubs or rectangular containers.

Slap & Fold

Definition: A vigorous, hands-on method used early in bulk fermentation to quickly develop gluten strength, especially in wet doughs.

How to perform: Working on an unfloured counter, pick up the dough, lift it, then slap the lower portion onto the counter while folding the part still in your hands over the top. Repeat in a steady rhythm for 5–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and less sticky.

When to use:

• Ideal right after mixing, before bulk fermentation is underway.

• Excellent for very wet or sticky doughs that are hard to handle otherwise.

• Builds gluten strength quickly, reducing the need for many later folds.

• Best when you’re okay with more hands-on effort and a bit of mess.

Many bakers mix and match: an initial slap & fold to bring the dough together, a couple of stretch & folds to build early strength, and coil folds later on to finish gently.

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