BF Context for Slap and Fold?
I'm trying to learn the slap and fold technique, and modify and experiment with it in recipes. My loaves are coming out a little flat with a relatively tight crumb, and I think much of that is my dough development and handling technique could improve.
For slap and fold, when is the ideal time to do it? If I mix my autolyse and my levain, wait a few minutes, and mix in the salt: is that the right time to slap and fold? Or better to let it rest? Do a stretch and fold and rest first? Do it closer to the end of the bulk ferment and then rest before shaping? Do it as part of the shaping process?
I see many recipes call for stretch and fold, rest, repeat a few times. If one uses slap and fold, is that repeated after rest as well? Does it combine well with other techniques such as stretch and fold or laminate with rest in between?
When people talk about slap and fold they generally refer to a kneading technique used for soft and/or wet doughs. Stretch and fold is a different technique and is aimed at developing dough during bulk fermentation.
Slapping the dough tends to be something you just do when its right. If you dont come to that moment when you just start doing it anyway, you probably wont need it.
When you start throwing dough because its the only thing that seems right in that moment and its working, slapping isnt far behind.
Imagine long strings all travelling one way. Mashing them together will tangle them up somewhat. This is what a slap does... helps prevent the shrinkage after stretching. Throwing into a slap also stretches the dough from its own weight and momentum.
Its not commonly useful for everyday bread but it is fun to have a go.
I can extend on my rather vague brief.
Today my dough was rather sticky despite less than normal hydration and fast gluten formation. I decided that stretch and fold simply would not work today given the destruction I had to cause continuoulsly releasing the dough from the sides of the bowl and I really didnt want to add more flour. Kneading will give me a tight crumb. I decided to try something else.
So, I grabbed the dough and pulled out hard from the bowl but stopped before the dough broke. Then pushed it back in gently and repeated until the entire dough released from the bottom. Under its own mass, as it released flicked it up and down gently slapping in back into the bowl. After 3 or these its tightenend up dramatically and the glutens are pretty much one directional. Folded in 3, in hand, quick and light dust and pat with a fairy dust style sprinkle. Then rotated and did it in the other direction. Then gently moved the ball back and forth between my hands being careful not to fold. It formed a skin and I increased throw force between hands pizza-stretching the dough out quite large and then then folded it all up.
Fermented an hour then repeated the throw and fold. One more hour ferment, now its in the fridge. Ill post the results tomorrow.
I slap and fold when I'm above 75% hydration (and above 80% for loaves with a lot of non-white flour). I do it either before the salt or after the salt or both. It allows me to leave the BF at the end longer without more structure building to get a more open/wilder crumb. I'm still learning about the feel of slap and fold around spelt and rye because I do want to develop the white that is sitting alongside these flours, but I know they all experience different types of development etc. I do more resting and much gentler slapping/stretching. Anyhoo, that's my 2cents. I'm also curious about how much gluten-breaking is bad breaking because there seems to be a lot of different opinions about this. I imagine other threads will illuminate.