Bronx wrote:

I just recently learned about autolyse and have some questions.

The methods I have read about autolyse seem to be for white breads. How well do you think this method would work for breads with more ingredients and other flours? These days I mostly make pumpernickel, with an occasional seeded rye. Would it be beneficial to do autolyse for these breads?

Would all the ingredients other than yeast and salt be used from the beginning, or would the autolyse process only be the flour and water? If so, how would I get a good mix of the rest of the ingredients after the gluten has formed? My pumpernickel recipe includes molasses, cocoa and instant coffee. I don’t know how to get a thorough mix of those ingredients after the fact.

If only the flour and water are included in the initial mix, would it only be the AP flour or all the flour? My pumpernickel and rye also use whole wheat and rye flours.

Thanks for reading my post.

Bronx

BRONX.
Good morning. I have read your posting with much interest. I would like to explain very simply why this maneuver is done & how to do it...very simple like.

The purpose of "AUTOLYSE" in yeasted lean bread baking is to give the flour gluten a "HEAD START in developing it's structure.
So here we will do it like this as an EXAMPLE ONLY
Assume you are using say 20, oz of flour. Remove anywhere from 25% to 3/8ths% of this amount ( which is about 5, to 7.50,oz worth) into your mixing bowl.
Lets further assume in this example we employ 1/3rd amount which is about 6.75, oz
into your bowl. Now sprinkle in a minimum amount of instant dry yeast in say 1/2 of a 1/4, tsp worth. blend it & add exactly the same amount in weight of cold water, that is 6.75, oz worth. With a spatula spend 2, minutes agitating this flour mixture.
Now, when completed slowly & gently place the balance of the ingredients ( not the water ) evenly on the top surface do not disturb the autolyse portion.
Cover well with plastic wrap. Place a towel on top of bowl. Do not disturb for about 8 hours to an overnite.
Next operation is to place the dough hook in your mixer & begin adding the water.
Bronx, as far as your flour is concerned mix in the flours & in which amounts you like. However I believe when employing rye flour it is best not to exceed 3/8ths in amount of the total amount of flour because rye is lacking in gluten...hence poor structure.

Good luck with this bake & post back with your results. Enjoy the EASTER holiday.

~KIDPIZZA.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by KIDPIZZA.

Bronx wrote:

I just recently learned about autolyse and have some questions.

The methods I have read about autolyse seem to be for white breads. How well do you think this method would work for breads with more ingredients and other flours? These days I mostly make pumpernickel, with an occasional seeded rye. Would it be beneficial to do autolyse for these breads?

Would all the ingredients other than yeast and salt be used from the beginning, or would the autolyse process only be the flour and water? If so, how would I get a good mix of the rest of the ingredients after the gluten has formed? My pumpernickel recipe includes molasses, cocoa and instant coffee. I don’t know how to get a thorough mix of those ingredients after the fact.

If only the flour and water are included in the initial mix, would it only be the AP flour or all the flour? My pumpernickel and rye also use whole wheat and rye flours.

Thanks for reading my post.

Bronx

[/quote

Bronx wrote:

I just recently learned about autolyse and have some questions.

The methods I have read about autolyse seem to be for white breads. How well do you think this method would work for breads with more ingredients and other flours? These days I mostly make pumpernickel, with an occasional seeded rye. Would it be beneficial to do autolyse for these breads?

Would all the ingredients other than yeast and salt be used from the beginning, or would the autolyse process only be the flour and water? If so, how would I get a good mix of the rest of the ingredients after the gluten has formed? My pumpernickel recipe includes molasses, cocoa and instant coffee. I don’t know how to get a thorough mix of those ingredients after the fact.

If only the flour and water are included in the initial mix, would it only be the AP flour or all the flour? My pumpernickel and rye also use whole wheat and rye flours.

Thanks for reading my post.

Bronx

BRONX:
Good morning. I do not ever remember in ever posting with you before. Sooo, happy to meet you today.
I have answered your inquiry last week. When I was completed, It disappeared I do not know why it did. I didn't want to re~do it because it was quite lengthy & thorough in information....I thought that is want you wanted to learn.
Anyway, If I knew that you will do my explanation of "AUTOLYSE" in your bread baking I would re~write it for your convienance.

Good luck in your bread baking, & enjoy the weekend..

~KIDPIZZA.

I recently read an article that said salt and yeast co-exist just fine as long as you don't do something like dump salt into a container of proofing yeast. That wasn't as true with cake yeast, but today's active dry or instant yeasts are less sensitive. (Of course if you quadruple the salt, as I did once, you'll get an inedible brick.)

Anyway, the point to autolysis, at least according to its originator, is to let enzymes go to work on the flour, which helps the yeast access the sugar in the flour later on. If you add yeast you're basically making a preferment, like a biga or a poolish. That's a good thing to do, too, but it invokes different biological processes and leads to different (though good) results.

I've seen a number of recipes that use a preferment AND autolysis, and even a few that use a preferment, autolysis and a mash or soaker. (A mash, as I understand it, involves heat, a soaker stays at room temperature.)

Cass, I'm sorry your article didn't post properly, I'm not sure what went wrong. It doesn't seem likely that it would have run afoul of the anti-spam filter. (According to the logs, the anti-spam filter I use has filtered out over 400 spam posts this month!)