legendary French bread authority,
Raymond Calvel, to compensate for some
of the disadvantages of rapid industrial
production. It has also been adopted by
many artisan bakers. Autolysis involves
combining only the flour and water and
letting them sit for 15–30 minutes before
adding the leavening and salt. According to
Calvel, this initial preparation gives the
starch and the gluten proteins a chance to
absorb as much water as possible without
the interference of salt, and allows the
gluten chains to shorten more (autolysis
means “self-digestion”). The result is a
dough that’s easier to manipulate, requires
less kneading and therefore less exposure
to oxygen, and so better retains the wheat’s
light golden color and characteristic taste.Dough Development: Kneading Once the
ingredients have been mixed and the dough is
formed, the process of dough development