1. 1. Prepare Your Workspace and Hands: Lightly wet your hands with a little water. This prevents the sticky dough from adhering to your fingers, making the process much smoother and less messy. You want just enough water to create a slick surface, not to add extra moisture to your dough.

2. 2. Access Your Dough: Gently slide your hands under the edges of your dough, which should be resting in a bowl or proofing container. If your dough is in a rectangular container, you’ll work from the shorter sides first.

3. 3. Lift and Stretch One Side: With wet hands, gently grab the dough from the middle of one side. Lift it straight up, letting it stretch under its own weight. You’ll feel the dough resist as the gluten develops. Lift until you feel significant tension, but don’t force it to tear.

4. 4. Fold Underneath: As you lift, the dough will naturally lengthen. Bring the lifted portion of the dough back towards the center and gently tuck it underneath itself. Imagine you’re creating a “coil” or a “log” with the dough.

5. 5. Repeat on Opposite Side: Rotate your bowl 180 degrees and repeat steps 3 and 4 on the opposite side of the dough. Lift, stretch, and fold it under the center. By now, your dough will feel noticeably firmer and more cohesive.

6. 6. Complete the Set: Rotate your bowl 90 degrees and repeat the lift-and-fold process on the remaining two sides. After all four sides have been lifted and folded, your dough should resemble a more compact, rounded mass.

7. 7. Rest the Dough: Cover your dough and let it rest for 30-60 minutes before performing the next set of coil folds. The resting period allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to stretch and fold again.

8. 8. Observe Dough Development: After each set of coil folds, you’ll notice your dough becoming progressively stronger, smoother, and more elastic. It will hold its shape better and have a more defined structure. Continue with the recommended number of coil folds in your recipe, typically 2-4 sets.