Autolyse: rest flour and water first
Mix flour and water until no dry flour remains, then rest 20 to 60 minutes. The flour hydrates, gluten proteins link up on their own, and enzymes get to work. The dough turns smoother and stretchier with less kneading.
Hold back the salt and starter
In a classic autolyse, salt and yeast or starter go in after the rest. Salt tightens gluten, and yeast would start fermenting early. Meanwhile, enzymes in the flour loosen the dough and start turning starch into sugar.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
What happens to the flour and water during an autolyse rest?
Flour hydrates and gluten forms with little effort. Water and time let gluten proteins link up without kneading.
True or false: Autolyse means kneading the dough hard for ten minutes before anything else goes in.
False. Autolyse is a rest, not kneading, and gluten forms while the flour and water sit.
Fill the blank: During the rest, enzymes in flour called ___ break starch down into sugars.
During the rest, enzymes in flour called amylases break starch down into sugars. Amylases chop starch into sugars that the yeast can later use.
What went wrong? You mix flour, water, salt and starter together and start kneading right away. The dough feels tight and tears when you stretch it.
The rest was skipped, so gluten had no head start. Resting flour and water lets gluten form with far less kneading.
A whole wheat dough feels dry and tears when you stretch it. What helps most?
Rest the flour and water first so the bran softens. Bran hydrates slowly, and the rest softens it before the dough is worked.