Ah, bread-making—a rewarding yet intimidating venture. But let’s demystify one of its core techniques: folding bread dough. As you probably understood by the name, No-knead bread dough doesn’t really need any kneading, but it needs a little bit of folding. This method is essential for achieving the airy, soft crumb and perfect crust you drool over in artisanal loaves. Whether you’re making sourdough, ciabatta, or focaccia, mastering dough folding can elevate your bread and it’s really super fast and easy, you just need to understand how it works.
Why Fold Bread Dough?
Folding dough isn’t just a fancy baker’s trick. It’s an essential step that:
- Strengthens gluten structure for better rise.
- Distributes air pockets, leading to a soft and airy crumb.
- Evens out the dough’s temperature and hydration.
So, grab your apron and let’s dive into how to fold bread dough like a pro.
First of all, its s important to understand what type of flour you are using. As I mentioned in the No Knead Bread Recipe- Easy Pane Pugliese different flours have different reaction to water, which means that when you’ll understand which flour to use you’ll guess how much more water you’ll need. Remember that also the environment (humidity) can affect your dough, so try to be flexible.
Step-by-Step Guide to Folding Bread Dough
Step 1. Prepare Your Dough for Success. Once you have mixed all the ingredients, flour, yeast, salt, sugar and water, the dough will look like in the video. It will be very sticky and quite impossible to be kneaded by hands. This is why you are folding it on itself using a spatula. You start from the bottom to the top and back towards the bottom. Do this for a few times and let your bread dough rest as explained in the recipe.
Step 2. Set the Scene.
- Find a clean, flat surface to work on.
- Lightly oil or dampen your hands to prevent sticking or use a bowl scraper or spatula.
Once your bread dough has doubled in size, place it on a well-floured surface. Sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough and gently press it with your hands.
Step 3. Fold the bread dough.
- Gently lift the right edge to the center and press it down gently.
- Repeat the same on the opposite edge.
Step 4 Do this until all four “sides” of the dough are folded.
Step 5 Round the bread dough with both hands. You can use some more flour if it’s is too sticky.
Congratulations! You’ve just completed your first fold! Now let the dough rest. This allows it to relax and complete bulk fermentation.
Bake the bread following my No Knead Bread Recipe – Easy Pane Pugliese
Other Recipes You May Like
- The Easiest Italian Focaccia Recipe
- No-knead Spelt Olives Bread
- Focaccine – Mini Italian Focaccia Bread
- Focaccia Genovese – Italian Focaccia Bread
