Bread Making Basics

Autolyse (pronounced AUTO-lees), also known as autolysis, is a technique whereby dough ingredients are mixed and then allowed to rest for 10 to 30 minutes before kneading begins. This step allows the flour to completely and evenly absorb the moisture in the dough, thus bringing about an enzymatic reaction that makes kneading quicker and easier. Because salt interferes with the flour's ability to absorb water and inhibits enzymatic activity, when autolyse is employed, the salt is typically withheld from the dough, and added only after autolyse is complete.

The goal of kneading is to build the protein, or gluten, in the dough and create a strong network of cross-linked proteins. When the dough is baked, it expands like a balloon as it releases the carbon dioxide created by the yeast, but the elastic, glutinous network of the dough developed during kneading allows expansion without bursting, resulting in the bubbly, chewy crumb structure that is the signature of good artisan loaves. Kneading is generally best accomplished in a stand mixer. For most bread doughs, to determine whether the dough has been kneaded sufficiently, gently pinch the dough with your fingers: if it feels stretchy and springs back into place, it has been properly kneaded.

Folding, or turning, is a technique that's often used with wet doughs, sometimes instead of, sometimes in addition to, kneading. (Both our brioche and baguette recipes require folding.) It's a gentle way to develop gluten. In addition, it aerates the dough and replenishes the oxygen that the yeast requires to reproduce as it elongates and redistributes the air bubbles. The folding action used with bread dough is similar to the folding action used with delicate batters and beaten egg whites: while still in the bowl, the sides of the dough are scraped up toward the center with a rubber spatula, plastic bowl scraper or one’s hand. Folding is done during the fermentation process, and takes place in two or more sets of folds, with a 30-minute rest between sets.

Slow, or cold fermentation is one of the better ways to develop flavor–the yeast feeds on the starch and sugars in the bread dough, and they produce alcohol and carbon dioxide in the process. During this period of fermentation, flavor compounds develop that help give the baked bread full, complex flavor. Generally speaking, the longer the fermentation, the better flavor the finished bread will have. The carbon dioxide that the yeast releases during fermentation causes the dough to rise and become pillowy so that the bread bakes up with an open, airy crumb, not a flat, crackery texture. This method also allows the baker to use less yeast in a recipe.

After fermentation, dough is shaped. Many recipes say to punch down the dough before shaping, but this isn’t actually necessary—the mere action of shaping will cause the dough to deflate. When shaping, use only as much flour on the work surface and on your hands as is needed to prevent the dough from sticking; adding an abundance of flour will alter the moisture level of the dough, causing it to be drier than it should be. No matter the dough type, a bench scraper helps get dough cleanly off the countertop and makes it easy to transfer dough from surface to surface.

Proofing is the final rise before baking. This step allows the dough to regain some airiness that was lost during shaping and for the gluten to relax. When properly proofed, the dough will have just the right amount of gas, elasticity, and energy to bake up into a well-risen loaf. Dough that has been underproofed tends to "blowout" and bake up into a misshapen crust because the yeast is still highly active and producing an abundance of carbon dioxide. By contrast, the yeast in dough that has been overproofed is mostly spent, and the dough lacks the force to rise in the oven. To test if dough has been properly proofed, press on it gently with a moistened fingertip or knuckle; it should leave an indentation that slowly fills in.

A crust's rise during baking is called "oven spring." Oven spring occurs because the oven's heat causes the alcohol and the carbon dioxide generated by the yeast during the fermentation and proofing stages to expand vigorously. The gluten network swells from the pressure, traps the bubbles as they form, and eventually sets, creating the crust's crumb and crust. For baking breads for which a crisp, well-browned bottom crust is desired, a baking stone is a necessary tool.

It's easy to tell when flatbreads like pizza and even focaccia are fully baked, but for loaf breads like brioche or baguette, judging doneness can be tricky. Color is one indicator, but if the recipe gives an internal temperature, use an instant-read thermometer to tell if the bread is fully baked. So that the thermometer does not leave a puncture mark on the surface of the loaf, to test for doneness, insert the thermometer through the bottom or side crust into the very center of the bread. Lean breads are done when they reach 200 to 210 degrees; rich breads are fully baked at 190 to 195 degrees.