How to incorporate starter into dough (by hand)

How to effectively incorporate starter into autolysed dough by hand without creating a sticky mess?

Dough mixers are great, indispensable tools for bread bakers. But, hand mixing is a basic skill that allows the baker to connect with and understand your dough. It is a struggle to effectively mix the dough by hand initially, especially handling the sticky dough without getting intimidated!

Method –

1. Weigh in the requireed quantity of starter into the mixing bowl, on the dough.
2. With wet fingers spead the starter all over the surface of the dough.
3. Pull the dough out from one side and fold it over itself like a stretch and fold.
4. Rotate the bowl as you go and keep folding until the starter is covered inside the dough.
5. Pull up the whole dough and flip it against the walls of the bowl, mimicing the slap and fold action. This helps even incorporation of starter and development of dough strength simultaneously.
6. Continue doing this until the dough looks smooth and less sticky.
7. Scrape down the dough on the walls of the bowl with a wet scaper.
8. Form the dough into a clean ball with your hands.
9. Cover the bowl with a shower cap and let it rest until the next step.

Note –

1. Always have a bowl of water to wet your finger or scrapper .
2. Wet your fingers to avoid dough sticking to your fingers.
3. Wetting your fingers frequetly may intoduce more hydration and might lead to the dough falling apart.
4. Keep the motions clear and fast for best results.