Can you fold dough during autolyse?

Would it be helpful, harmful or neutral to fold dough during the autolyse?

Let's say we're doing a long cold autolyse. At first I assumed it would be helpful to start the dough development early on, but then I had to wonder if starting the gluten development prematurely during autolyse would hasten the degradation of gluten later on, especially with a retard?

What does baking theory say about this question?

Best Answer

It doesn't much matter in that respect. The degradation of the gluten structure during a long proofing acts on the constituent parts of the gluten as well, so you can't really 'save' the gluten by delaying its formation.

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Do you cover dough during autolyse?

For the autolyse, I simply mix the flour and water together until the flour is fully moistened. I then cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. It's truly miraculous to observe how the dough transforms in 30 short minutes from a rough blob to a smooth and stretchy dough.

How long should dough rest between folds?

Method. After mixing sourdough dough, you generally let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before starting on your stretch and folds. Each recipe is different, so refer to them individually. Once that first 20 to 30 minute rest (called autolyse) is over, you are ready to begin your first round of stretch and folds.

Can you autolyse 8 hours?

Temperature: If you leave the dough at a room temperature between 20-22\xb0C (68\xb0F \u2013 71\xb0F), the autolyse time can extend up to 8 hours (in case of particularly strong flours).

How many times should you stretch and fold sourdough?

Generally 4 to 6 sets of stretch and folds should be sufficient (4 folds in each set). Similarly, 4 to 6 coil folds should be enough to develop the gluten in a higher hydration dough.

Video 4 - First 12 Stretch and folds after autolyse

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Angela Roma, Angela Roma, Angela Roma, Angela Roma