Autolyse

Autolyse mixing may be used in any lean dough, and it is especially useful when making fiber-enriched dough. It means that the flour and water, and preferment are briefly combined, just enough for a rough mixture to form. Then the mixture is left to rest for a period of 10 to 30 minutes, allowing the flour to absorb enough water for gluten development to begin. The gluten relaxes, since mixing is not agitating it. The dough has rested sufficiently when it appears very smooth.

One advantage of the autolyse mixing is that mixing times are shortened, and shorter mixing times produce gluten that has greater extensibility. Another advantage is the development of a sweet aroma and flavor in the baked loaf.