What is the windowpane test?

Stretch a small piece of dough thin enough to see light through it without tearing. If it tears immediately, gluten needs more development. If it stretches thin and translucent, gluten is well developed.

Can I develop gluten without kneading?

Yes, stretch and folds or coil folds during bulk fermentation build gluten effectively without traditional kneading. Time and folds work together.

Why does my dough tear when I stretch it?

Tearing indicates under-developed or broken-down gluten. Either you need more folding or the dough has over-fermented and the gluten has weakened.

Weak Gluten

Bulk Fermentation

Weak gluten means your dough tears instead of stretching, spreads out rather than holding its shape, and may feel fragile during handling. Good gluten development is essential for bread structure and oven spring.

Try This Right Now

1Perform additional stretch and folds every 30 minutes to build strength
2Use coil folds for gentle gluten building without degassing
3Let the dough rest longer between folds to allow gluten relaxation and reform

Detailed Solutions

Extended Folding

Easy

More folds over a longer period build stronger gluten.

Perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes
Continue for 3-4 sets total
Check for windowpane test after each set
Stop when dough holds its shape

Slap and Fold Technique

Moderate

A more aggressive method for building gluten quickly.

Lift dough and slap it on the counter
Fold over itself and repeat
Continue for 5-10 minutes
Rest and check for improvement

Why This Happens

Weak gluten results from inadequate mixing, low-protein flour, over-fermentation, or too much whole grain flour. Contributing factors include: Insufficient mixing or folding, Using all-purpose or low-protein flour, Over-fermentation breaking down gluten, High percentage of whole grain flour, Too much fat or sugar in the recipe.

Prevention for Next Time

Use bread flour with at least 12% protein for stronger gluten
Perform 3-4 sets of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation
Do not over-ferment—watch for the dough doubling, not more
If using whole grains, keep them under 30% of total flour

Related Issues

Having other problems? Check out these related troubleshooting guides.

No Rise Dough Tearing Dough Won't Hold Shape Flat Loaf