starter in water vs. starter after autolyse
Some recipes have you dissolve your starter in water, add flour, autolyse, salt, then stretch/poof/retard. They give rough proofing times, but don't say if time in autolyse contributes to the total. I'm assuming it does, since the yeasts presumably are getting to work from the outset in such a scenario. Is that right? The longer I bake the less I pay attention to time, and the more to what the dough is doing, but timeframes are helpful. Other recipes have you autolyse before you add the starter. Do people prefer one method over the other? Seems the first ensures even yeast distribution by dissolving in water while the second wants flour and water to meet and hang out together before involving the yeast. Love to hear opinions from more experienced bakers about this.
You're right, time is supposed to start from addition of starter. Make a difference? Tried both but not for me. I find it's easier to dissolve and I like easy.
I lean that way too, especially if it doesn't affect final results.... Thanks!
This was clarified for me by Michel Suas, who states in his book that, although the autolyse should be just flour and water in a yeast risen bread (with a short bulk fermentation), liquid levain with a low yeast content should be added at the beginning because there is not enough yeast to make much difference. So I include the levain in my autolyse because it is easier.
Thanks! Makes sense to me, and I also find it easier.