After rising overnight my sourdough looked good, but after I shaped it, it became sticky, I tried slapping it on the counter like I saw in French videos, but it remained sticky, so I out it back in the bowl and covered it.
I asked Gemini, "What should I do next?"
I got a good answer:
Looking at image.png, those large, glassy bubbles on the surface and the slightly loose, domed structure suggest your dough is over-proofed.
When dough rises overnight at room temperature, the wild yeast and bacteria eat through the sugars, eventually exhausting the gluten structure. The slap-and-fold method ("slapping it on the counter") works beautifully to build gluten earlier in the process, but at this stage, the gluten network has already broken down, which is why it feels intensely sticky, wet, and won't hold its shape.
Since it's back in the bowl, here is how you can salvage it right now:
1. Pivot to a Focaccia or Pan Pizza (Recommended)
Trying to shape this into a free-standing boule or batard will likely result in a flat pancake in the oven. Instead, use the structure-free nature of the dough to your advantage.
The Method: Generously oil a baking sheet, cast-iron skillet, or cake pan with olive oil. Tip the sticky dough directly into the pan.
The Fix: Don't try to shape it. Just gently stretch it toward the corners. If it resists, let it relax for 15 minutes, then stretch again.
Bake: Dimple it with your fingers, add your favorite toppings (like sea salt, rosemary, or tomatoes), and bake hot at 220°C to 230°C (425°F to 450°F) until golden and crisp.
2. The Loaf Pan Rescue
If you absolutely want a sliceable loaf of bread, let a tin do the structural work for you.
The Method: Grease a standard loaf pan thoroughly (or line it with parchment paper).
The Fix: Wet your hands to handle the sticky dough, gently scrape it out of the bowl, and drop it straight into the loaf pan.
Bake: Let it settle for just a few minutes to level out, then pop it straight into a preheated oven. The walls of the pan will force the over-proofed dough to rise up instead of spreading out.
3. Bake It Right Away
Because the dough has already fermented significantly overnight, do not let it sit or proof further in the bowl. Whichever salvage path you choose, get your oven preheating immediately and bake it as soon as possible to capture whatever remaining oven spring the yeast has left to give.
