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Resting the Dough or Autolyze

January 4, 2011 Melissa 8 Comments

This resting of the dough occurs just after you have mixed your ingredients together. In France the term for this is called an autolyze period. All recipes can take advantage of a resting period, but some recipes will specifically say to let your dough rest after mixing for ten to thirty minutes.   This rest allows the starches and the gluten to expand and fully absorb the water, which makes the dough easier to handle and can shorten the time needed to fully knead the dough. This is especially helpful in dough that is very sticky, like ciabatta. The longer you allow your dough to rest, the more water the flour is able to absorb without being mixed by machine. By allowing this to happen your dough will reach full absorption and the results will be stretchy dough that will have a high rise.

Guides autolyze, baking, bread, dough, resting, techniques

Comments

  1. Loukas Leontiades says

    July 24, 2013 at 6:59 am

    I am having difficulty with the aeration in tzhe final baked product.?

    Reply
  2. Harald Feiersinger says

    March 9, 2018 at 2:48 am

    This helps a lot, thanks

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    November 14, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    […] 1 minute on low in a stand mixer. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and allow your dough to rest or autolyze for 20-30 minutes.Add your salt to the dough and begin kneading by hand or stand mixer. If you are […]

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  4. Olive Batard says:
    January 31, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    […] hook. Stop the mixer, scrap down the sides and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest or autolyze for 20 […]

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    February 6, 2013 at 2:49 am

    […] out your ingredients into a large bowl, mix thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest or autolyze for about 20-30 […]

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  6. Savory Grape Bread with Lemon, Goat Cheese and Sea Salt says:
    October 14, 2014 at 11:08 am

    […] going.**You do not have to give the dough the rest periods, or autolyze, but it can be helpful. Here's a good explanation of why. WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.2.2807 Here’s a quick instagram shot of the inside […]

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