FOOD NEWS
The Crucial Tip When Baking Bread With Whole Wheat
BY MATTHEW SPINA
Even if you’re used to baking with white flour, baking with whole wheat is a completely different game, so ensure a proper texture with an autolyse — or resting — stage.
Simply put, autolyse is a resting stage that occurs after you mix the flour and water but before you add other ingredients to let the flour properly absorb the moisture.
Autolyse is especially important for whole wheat flour because the flour still contains the bran and germ, which absorb moisture more slowly than white flour.
For proper moisture absorption, let it rest for 30 to 60 minutes to hydrate the dough, making it easier to work with and ensuring proper gluten development.
The water helps activate enzymes in the flour that break down the protein, making the dough stronger but easier to handle, and creating a light, airy crumb.