Mixing sourdough dough is not just about combining the ingredients. It is also about strengthening gluten by using special bread dough mixing techniques to develop the texture and flavor of the final bread.
A healthy sourdough starter, proper dough mixing, and bulk fermentation are the three most important steps in making the perfect sourdough bread.
How to mix the bread dough
The first thing you need to do is weigh the recipe ingredients accurately. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for this step.
If you make no-knead sourdough bread, you don't need to strengthen the dough while mixing. The gluten will develop slowly during bulk fermentation using folding techniques.
However, if you want an open, airy crumb or are working with a highly hydrated dough, you will want to strengthen it during mixing.
The mixing process is quite different, depending on whether you use autolyse or fermentolyse.
For autolyse,
- Mix the flour and 95% water with a Danish dough whisk or your hand until the dough is shaggy. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 12 hours. With autolyse over 3 hours, place the dough in the fridge.
- Add the levain (active starter) at peak and salt, and mix it with the pincer method (see below).
- Strengthen the dough with one of the mixing techniques (see below) and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Proceed with the set of stretch and folds and coil folds.
For fermentolyse,
- Mix the levain (active starter) at peak with 95% of the water using a Danish dough whisk until the starter dissolves. Add the flour and mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms.
- Strengthen the dough using one of these mixing techniques: slap and fold or the Rubaud method for high-hydration dough (78-80%+), or folding in the bowl for dough with 65-78% hydration (see below). Then let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Add the salt and the remaining water (5%), and mix by hand using the pinch-and-fold method (see below). Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Proceed with sets of stretch and folds and coil folds.
When mixing dough with wet hands, use only a little water, especially as a beginner, since it increases hydration.
Mixing sourdough with the pincer method
The pincer method involves folding and pinching through the dough layers to incorporate added ingredients. It is often used to combine levain (active starter) with salt after autolyse.
This technique is explained in Ken Forkish's book Flour, Water, Salt, and Yeast. You can watch a short video of the author demonstrating it.
Prepare a bowl of room-temperature water. As you mix, wet your hand occasionally if needed, but don't overdo it.
Add the levain (active starter) at its peak (yes, that sourdough starter peak) and the salt to the dough. Begin mixing by folding the dough a few times or gently squeezing it between your fingers.
Mix the dough by folding it after adding salt.
Mix the dough by squeezing it between your fingers after adding salt.
Then, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch through the dough layers. Fold the dough in half, pinch again, and repeat a few times until thoroughly mixed.
First round: The first pinch of the dough with the thumb and forefinger.
The following pinches of the dough with the thumb and forefinger.
Folding the dough in half after the first set of pinches.
Second round: The first pinch of the dough with the thumb and forefinger.
The following pinches of the dough with the thumb and forefinger.
Folding the dough in half after the second set of pinches.
Continue mixing the dough using the pincer method until thoroughly combined.
Mixing bread dough with the pinch and fold method
The pinch and fold is a mixing technique for adding salt and water to the dough after fermetolyse. Watch the YouTube masterclass Tartine Bread: Art & Alchemy-Part 2, starting at 1:10, where Tom Cucuzza demonstrates this method.
Begin by adding the salt and water to the dough. Then, grab the dough with your thumb and two to four fingers and fold it toward the center. Rotate the mixing bowl and repeat.
Occasionally, squeeze the dough with your fingers to help it absorb the water. Continue using the pinch-and-fold method until the dough forms a "cohesive ball."
This mixing technique usually doesn't require adding extra water to wet your hands, but if the dough feels sticky, you can use a little.
Grabbing the dough with the thumb and four fingers, then lifting it.
Folding the dough toward the center.
Lifting the dough by grasping it with the thumb and four fingers after rotating the bowl.
Folding the dough toward the center after rotating the bowl.
Squeezing the dough with fingers to absorb the water.
Repeating the pinch and fold method.
Continue mixing the dough using the pinch and fold method until thoroughly combined.
Strengthening dough with hand-mixing techniques
The key to proper bread dough mixing is to follow a simple pattern: mix the dough, let it rest, observe, and then repeat.
After adding the levain (active starter), with or without salt, choose a strengthening mixing method from the options below.
Slap and fold method
The slap and fold, also known as a French Fold, is an effective method for mixing sourdough, especially highly hydrated dough. Richard Bertinet popularized this technique, which helps build gluten strength, aerate the dough, and encourage optimal fermentation.
To use the slap-and-fold technique, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean work surface (no dusting or wetting the surface is needed). Wet your hands to prevent sticking, but use only a small amount of water if required.
Next, use a pinch grip to grab the sides of the dough with both hands (or with your index and middle fingers of each hand when making a small loaf), lift it, and slap it down onto the counter. Stretch it toward you, then fold it over itself.
Release the mixed dough from the bowl onto the table.
Stretch the dough toward yourself after slapping it onto the table.
Then, rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat this process until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Fold the dough over itself.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees to repeat the process.
Pull the dough toward yourself after slapping it onto the table.
Fold the dough onto itself.
Repeat the technique until the dough is well mixed. This usually takes 3 to 7 minutes, depending on the type of flour and sourdough hydration.
Mix in sets: start by mixing for 2-3 minutes, then let the dough rest for 3-5 minutes before continuing. Repeat this process three times.
Folding in the bowl
If the bread dough has a hydration level of 65% to 78%, folding it in the bowl is an excellent way to strengthen it.
Wet your hands, lift a portion of the dough, gently stretch it to the side, then fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. This method is similar to the pinch-and-fold technique, but with more extended stretches to the sides.
This mixing usually takes 2 to 8 minutes, depending on the dough hydration and the type of flour used in the recipe. High-protein flour requires less time, while high-hydration dough takes longer.
Rubaud method
Rubaud method, named after Gerard Rubaud, is perfect for dough that is too wet for the slap and fold technique. It uses gentle hand movements instead of vigorous kneading, making it ideal for very high-hydration doughs.
To perform the Rubaud method, hold the bowl with one hand while using the other hand to scoop under the dough. Wet your hand occasionally if needed, but don't overdo it.
Lift a portion of the dough and drop it back in a rhythmic motion, forming a "C" shape with your hand.
Grab a portion of the dough with a hand.
Lift a portion of the dough.
Lift a portion of the dough up and to the side.
Grab the portion of the dough after dropping it back.
Mix for 2-3 minutes, let the dough rest for 3-5 minutes. Repeat the process three times until the dough is smooth and elastic. Watch this short video of Trevor J. Wilson demonstrating the Rubaud method.
Which mixing method is the best?
It depends on the type of dough you are working with. The best method is the one that works best for your dough and gives you the results you want. Mix and match techniques to suit your baking style, as many methods can achieve similar results.
Each mixing technique offers a different way to develop dough, from the vigorous slap and fold to folding in the bowl and the gentle Rubaud method.
The slap and fold and Rubaud methods are ideal for high-hydration dough (78-80% or more). Folding in the bowl is perfect for the dough with 65-78% hydration.
Start with a basic sourdough bread recipe. Make one change at a time and write down your process with photos, measurements, and notes. Pay attention to how the dough looks and feels, and use your notes to refine your technique.
If you are a novice in sourdough baking, stick with one simple bread recipe and practice it until you have mastered it (see my guide to choosing the beginner sourdough bread recipe).
Start with a dough with 65-70% hydration, which is easier to handle and perfect for beginners. When you are ready, try my Beginner's Sourdough Bread recipe for a hands-on guide.
FAQ
The "bassinage" method involves reserving some water and gradually adding it during the mixing process to improve dough development.
Yes, but add them after the dough is strengthened. Ingredients like oil and butter can slow gluten development, so make sure the dough passes the windowpane test first.
Yes, higher-hydration doughs require more mixing. Techniques like slap and fold or the Rubaud method are great for these doughs.
No, hand-mixing won't overmix the dough, but using a mixer at high speed can.
Yes, you can use a stand mixer like a KitchenAid or a spiral mixer, but keep the speed low to avoid overmixing.
Let's talk sourdough
What is your favorite dough mixing technique? Share your method for mixing sourdough dough in the comments.
Ready to keep learning?
After mixing, it is time to strengthen your dough. Learn stretch and folds and coil folds, that help build a strong gluten structure.
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