Autolyse
Autolyse is a technique in sourdough baking where just the dough ingredients are combined and allowed to rest before adding any other ingredients. This simple yet effective process does two things:
- activates enzymes which play a vital role in breaking down starches and proteins and
- gives the dough a head start to build a strong gluten network before we even mix the starter in and start the fermentation process.
This method is especially beneficial when using a high percentage of sourdough starter (over 20%) or when you are using a high percentage of water (over 72%).
