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This weekend I used the autolyse (autolysis) method of bread making, described in ARTISAN BAKING ACROSS AMERICA. Basically, most of the flour and water are mixed first - TO THE EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS. Allow the shaggy lump to set for 30 minutes. The dough will smoothen over time. The dough becomes very soft, very soft; and, a little gluten develops. It should smoothen.
At the 30 minute mark mix in the yeast, the salt, and any remaining ingredients. Proceed with kneading. The dough will seem a bit slack. The dough will actually be less tough due to the delayed addition of yeast and salt. The latter two ingredients will toughen dough if added too soon.
Looking at the dough during proofing, I thought that I'd made a Ciabatta, really. I put it the oven like usual.
I got the tallest oven spring ever!!! Really tall. The crumb had huge holes and the crust was actually crunchy. No wash needed. The bread turned out light and not dense using the autloyse method.
It seems that premature addition of yeast and salt result in a dense loaf with little oven spring. The autolyse method is the way to avoid heavyness. And, never have I seen a loaf of bread disappear so quickly.
A big thanks to BigHat for mentioning the book and Ms. Glezer for having written it.

[ June 19, 2001: Message edited by: kokopuffs ]
At the 30 minute mark mix in the yeast, the salt, and any remaining ingredients. Proceed with kneading. The dough will seem a bit slack. The dough will actually be less tough due to the delayed addition of yeast and salt. The latter two ingredients will toughen dough if added too soon.
Looking at the dough during proofing, I thought that I'd made a Ciabatta, really. I put it the oven like usual.
I got the tallest oven spring ever!!! Really tall. The crumb had huge holes and the crust was actually crunchy. No wash needed. The bread turned out light and not dense using the autloyse method.
It seems that premature addition of yeast and salt result in a dense loaf with little oven spring. The autolyse method is the way to avoid heavyness. And, never have I seen a loaf of bread disappear so quickly.
A big thanks to BigHat for mentioning the book and Ms. Glezer for having written it.
[ June 19, 2001: Message edited by: kokopuffs ]