How to autolyse? Unleasing the power of the pause
The basic process of autolyse is simple. We just need to combine flour and water, and give a resting time. This rest makes the dough extensible, less sticky, easy to work with. It enhances the overall bread flavor and texture.
Equipment
- A stand mixer (optional)
Materials
- Bread flour-400g 100 percent
- Water-280g 70 percent
Instructions
- Into a large bowl, add flour or a combination of the flours. Then add the measured quantity of water.
- Using the back of a wooden ladle, combine all the flour and water. Combine well to ensure that no dry flour patch is left.
- If using a stand mixer, knead at low speed for 2-3 minutes to incorporate flour and water. Then cover the dough and let it rest for 45 minutes.
Notes
- Make sure to cover the dough properly to prevent it from drying. Always use a cling wrap to cover the dough if the RH (relative humidity in your kitchen is low)
- If you are using the stand mixer, combine the flour and water at low rpm for 2-3 minutes only. No more than that.
- Adjust the water temperature to achieve the optimum autolyse temperature. The final dough temperature for autolyse should be between 72-78 F for getting the optimum results.