Folding Lines?
I've been playing around with "stretch and fold" but with my Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day doughs (I like the timing "window" better with AB in 5 doughs). I am basically using the stretch and fold technique to create the "cloak" (skin or surface tension) rather than pulling the "cloak" around with my hands like the ABin5 authors recommend.
"Stretch and fold" seems easier to do with these wet, sticky doughs and I think it is giving me a nicer crumb (one of thes days I'll make a loaf with each method side by side to compare).
When I'm ready to bake, I lightly flour the dough in my bucket and then use a plastic scraper to loosen the sides so that the dough falls out of the bucket floured side down on my marble board. Then I lightly sprinkle some more flour on the very sticky wet surface which is now on top for ease of handling (and this may be the source of my problem). Then, with the help of my scraper, I fold the dough into thirds, turn one quarter, and fold again. I turn the smooth side up and roll it under my cupped hands to make a ball (or oblong), then set it to proof.
The problem is that I am finding a line of dry flour in the middle of my bread. I think it is the flour I have sprinkled on top of the sticky side up before folding--it does not seem to incoporate, though it certainly makes the dough easier to handle. Should I forego flouring the sticky top if I am using strecth and fold technique?
Any thoughts or suggestions?
I agree that it's that last light sprinkle of flour on the sticky top that is most probably your greatest contributing factor. You're folding that raw flour into the center along with the flour that sticks to the bottom of your dough (from the marble board side) as you fold it over. I'd forego that light sprinkle step and see how much of an improvement that makes. I might even reduce the flour on top of the raw dough before turning it out of the bucket.