Autolyse is a French baking term that refers to flour hydration with a liquid before adding leavening and salt and is believed to improve flavor. In biochemistry, the autolyse describes self-digestion by way of enzymatic activity through cellular destruction, which improves flavor and digestion.
Pronounced awt-l-ahyz, this technique is used to hydrate flour whatever liquid will be used before mixing in other ingredients and before kneading. It is usually left to sit for a set period of time, usually 45 or more minutes. This article has been moved to yoursourdoughstart.com
Author: Darryl Alder lives with his wife in Riverside Lodge, which is their home, along the Provo River in Utah. He is a retired career Scouter and outdoorsman who spent many hours over a campfire using a Dutch oven and loves sharing recipes for the kitchen and the campfire alike. You can read many of his outdoor recipes here and on this site by searching for Sourdough Saturday or Recipes on the top right-hand side of the blog