While sourdough dough is naturally stickier than standard yeasted dough, the idea that you cannot add flour to the counter is false, though often discouraged for specific reasons.
Managing Stickiness
Natural Stickiness: Sourdough is stickier due to its high hydration (water content).
The "No Flour" Rule: Many recipes advise against adding flour to the counter during pre-shaping because the dough needs to grip the surface to create tension. Excess flour can also get trapped inside the dough, creating dry pockets or a gummy texture in the final bread.
Adding Flour: You can lightly flour the counter, especially during the final shaping or if the dough is exceptionally unmanageable. Some bakers use rice flour, which doesn't get absorbed as easily and prevents sticking more effectively than all-purpose flour.
Alternatives to Adding Flour
Bakers often use these techniques instead of adding flour to the counter to maintain the correct hydration:
Water: Wetting your hands and tools (like a bench scraper) is often more effective than flouring them, as dough does not stick to wet surfaces.
Bench Scraper: Use a metal or plastic scraper to move the dough. It acts as an extension of your hand and is much easier to keep clean.
Time and Strength: Stickiness often decreases as you develop gluten through stretch-and-folds. If it's too sticky early on, it may just need more strength or rest.
Oil: Lightly oiling your work surface and hands can also prevent sticking without altering the dough’s hydration.
When Stickiness is a Problem
If your dough is "soupy" or impossible to handle even with these tricks, it may be due to:
Over-fermentation: The dough has risen too long and its structure has broken down.
High Temperature: Warm kitchens accelerate fermentation, making dough softer and stickier.
In sourdough baking, a loaf "falling" (deflating or spreading) just before it enters the oven is a common concern. While a small amount of spreading is normal when the dough is released from its proofing basket, a total collapse usually indicates issues with fermentation or structure.
Common Reasons for Deflation
Over-proofing: This is the most frequent cause. If dough ferments too long, the gluten structure weakens and becomes fragile. When you score the dough or move it, it collapses like a popped balloon because the "scaffolding" can no longer hold the gas.
Weak Gluten Structure: If the dough wasn't strengthened enough through "stretch and folds" during bulk fermentation, it won't have the elasticity to hold its shape.
High Hydration: Dough with a very high water-to-flour ratio (above 75–80%) is naturally slacker and more prone to spreading if not handled with expert technique.
Rough Handling: Being too aggressive when transferring the dough from the basket to the baking vessel can knock out the air you worked hard to build up.
How to Prevent It
Use the "Poke Test": Gently press a floured finger into the dough. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it is ready. If it doesn't spring back at all, it is over-proofed.
Cold Proofing: Moving your shaped dough into the refrigerator (cold retard) for 8–16 hours makes it much firmer and easier to handle. Cold dough holds its shape better during scoring and is less likely to deflate.
Tight Shaping: Ensure you create enough surface tension during the final shaping. The "skin" of the dough should feel taut, acting like a structural container.
Strategic Scoring: Score the dough just before it goes into the oven. Use a very sharp blade (lame) and make swift, confident cuts about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep at a 30–45° angle.
Gentle Transfer: Use parchment paper to gently lower the loaf into your Dutch oven.
What if it collapses?
If your dough deflates after scoring, bake it anyway. While it may lack a dramatic "oven spring," it will often still taste great and have an edible crumb.