KotiChef

As you venture into rustic artisan breads like ciabatta or baguettes, you'll encounter higher hydration doughs (70% water or more). These create those beautiful open crumb structures with irregular holes, but they present unique challenges for kneading because they're significantly stickier.

Traditional kneading becomes difficult with high-hydration dough because it adheres to your hands and work surface. This is where alternative techniques become invaluable. The stretch and fold method works wonderfully for wet doughs: instead of continuous kneading, you stretch the dough and fold it onto itself from each side, then let it rest 20-30 minutes before repeating. This gentle, intermittent action still develops gluten but works with the dough's stickiness rather than fighting it.

For those comfortable with a more dynamic approach, the slap and fold (or French) method excels with wet doughs. Lift the dough with both hands, slap it down on the counter, then fold it back over itself. The dramatic movement might seem rough, but it's remarkably effective at developing gluten in wet doughs while using the stickiness to advantage – the dough clings to the surface during the slap, creating natural tension as you fold.

When working with high-hydration dough, water becomes your friend rather than flour. Wet your hands periodically instead of adding flour to prevent sticking. This maintains the dough's intended hydration level and prevents inadvertently creating a tougher finished bread. Some bakers keep a small bowl of water nearby for quickly dipping their fingertips.

After handling very sticky dough, standard cleaning methods often fall short. Try this baker's trick: before washing, rub your hands with a generous amount of dry flour. The flour absorbs the moisture from the dough, turning it into a paste that can be rubbed off. Then rinse with cold water, and the remaining residue should wash away easily.

Remember that high-hydration doughs develop differently – they may never become as smooth or firm as standard doughs, even when properly developed. Instead of focusing solely on dough appearance, rely more on the windowpane test to judge gluten development.